William Carrier makes his return to T-Mobile Arena on Monday

William Carrier was one of the cornerstones of the Vegas Golden Knights. He anchored the fourth line, bringing hard hits and scoring to the unit. When he was healthy, the Quebec native was crucial to the team's success.

Now, the "Golden Misfit" is on the Carolina Hurricanes. He signed a six-year, $2 million AAV deal to play for the Metropolitan Division team during the summer. So far, he's done... alright for the team, scoring one goal and two assists in 13 games.

But his main calling card was hitting people, where he totaled 1,116 hits in his seven-year career with the Golden Knights. Now? He has 30 hits in 13 games with the Hurricanes, where he's picking up where he left off.

The reunion will be a bittersweet trip down memory lane for the Golden Knights. The center was the focal point of the bottom six, establishing a physical presence for Vegas. He provided key scoring on the unit and gave the top six time to rest. The team would grab crucial late goals and pull out key wins.

How, you might ask?

How William Carrier helped the Vegas Golden Knights

Last season on October 30, 2023, the Vegas Golden Knights faced the Montreal Canadiens. It should've been an easy win given how bad the historic franchise has been in recent years. However, that wasn't the case.

The normal top-line players were absent throughout the game, with only Jack Eichel producing an assist. Montreal also wouldn't go away, with former Golden Knight, Nick Suzuki, scoring a goal.

That's where Carrier came into play, scoring a goal in the second period. He also contributed a hit and two shots, putting in a solid effort in a 3-2 shootout win. Small contributions like this strengthened the Golden Knights, specifically on the lower lines.

Granted, Carrier suffered many injuries throughout his Golden Knight career, ranging from upper-body to lower-body. Therefore, he wasn't on the roster much. However, the "Golden Misfit" was a hard-hitting presence who scored goals, as proven by his 16 goals in 2022-23.

What Carrier brings to the Carolina Hurricanes

William Carrier brings that same hard-hitting mentality to the Carolina Hurricanes. He's fortifying the fourth line on the left wing alongside Jack Drury and Jackson Blake. In turn, the bottom six has been one of the NHL's best, which is why the Hurricanes are near the top of the Metropolitan Division.

That physical presence has also made the Hurricanes one of the better defensive teams in the NFL. They're known for being a fast hockey team, outpacing opponents in transition. However, Carrier's role makes Carolina a hard-hitting team.

Yes, they might be tied for the least hits with 207 (the Lightning also have 207). However, Carolina can also rely on the forward to deliver punishing checks throughout the season and wear his opponents down.

That's what the Golden Knights will face on Monday as the "Golden Misfit" returns to T-Mobile Arena. Vegas has a new-look bottom six that also emphasizes more speed while combining more checking. The Golden Knights must rely on Keegan Kolesar and company to set the tone early, fighting for pucks and hitting the Hurricanes.

Carolina will be the toughest home test for the Golden Knights on Monday. They carry balance and a stingy defensive game, which could cause problems in Las Vegas. The Golden Knights will see a familiar face on that front, where they hope to neutralize him. Otherwise, they'll be "carried" off to their first home loss.