Remember when William Karlsson set the Vegas Golden Knights' single-season record for the most goals? He notched 43 goals in 2017-18 and immediately set the Golden Knights' standard for scoring goals. It was looked at as a revered mark in franchise history, turning the Swedish center into a team legend.
Well, that was almost a decade ago as the Original Misfit is heading into his career twilight. Last season, Golden Knights fans didn't see too much of Karlsson. In fact, they only saw 14 regular season games before he was injured against the Anaheim Ducks on November 8, 2025.
That's unfortunate because the Stockholm native has etched his name in Golden Knights history in more ways than one. He's remembered for his incredible post-parade speech about his Misfit buddy, Jonathan Marchessault. He's also remembered for his flowing blonde locks and for "Dancing Queen" blasting throughout T-Mobile Arena whenever he scored.
But let's be honest for a second. There's no way that Karlsson is getting back to those 2017-18 numbers. He's too old to make that happen. Still, one factor can help him get back to a respectable output, albeit it's one that's out of his control.
William Karlsson's health will indicate how successful his 2026-27 season will be for the Golden Knights
Last season was exceptionally cruel to William Karlsson. He suffered a debilitating upper-body injury that resulted in the Original Misfit missing the rest of the regular season. In fact, his health has been a major problem in the past two seasons.
Karlsson has only played 67 (do the meme) games in that span, resulting in 13 goals and 23 assists. That's a significant downturn from his 2023-24 campaign, when he scored 30 goals and 30 assists. Mind you, he played 70 games in that season and didn't miss significant time.
Still, the point stands that health will be a major factor in Karlsson returning to his old numbers. He got surgery for his broken wrist and hopes to make it to a full campaign for the Golden Knights in 2026-27. Will he suffer another setback this season? Stay tuned.
The Vegas Golden Knights will benefit in more ways than one from having a healthy Karlsson around
It's been mentioned how integral Karlsson is on a goal-scoring front for the Golden Knights. He adds to the center depth and can score goals. However, his importance stems beyond simply putting pucks in net.
His contributions also come on the defensive front, averaging 2.0 defensive point shares in an 82-game setting. That includes 1.6 defensive point shares in 2024-25. While the Original Misfit isn't expected to be a defensive stalwart outright, he does well at neutralizing the game's best targets.
Karlsson also does well in the face-off department, averaging a face-off winning percentage of 51.3% during his 12-year career. He's drastically improved in the face-off circle by averaging more than 50% in his last seven seasons. As a result, he's become more reliable in late-game situations.
The Golden Knights will greatly benefit from having a healthy William Karlsson around for the 2026-27 season. Yes, he might be 33 years old and on the downturn of his career. But that doesn't mean that he isn't valuable to Vegas's operations. Watch for him to turn it around if he stays healthy for the upcoming season.
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