William Karlsson is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury

Right now, the Vegas Golden Knights are going through a rough stretch. They've lost six of their last seven games and are searching for answers to end their slump. Will they sacrifice a chicken to break the streak? Must they say their "Hail Mary's" to repent for any sins committed?

Well, they better get into the sacrificing game because they're losing another key piece in William Karlsson. The center is week-to-week with a lower-body injury, meaning he's likely missing the 4 Nations Faceoff. If the recent slide was bad enough, the Golden Knights are losing one of their main centers.

There are unintended consequences to this news, of course. For one, the Golden Knights will only have two "Misfits" on their roster (for now, at least). Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore will have to guard the "Fortress of Nostalgia" from any enemies, ensuring the fan's memories are kept in the vault.

In all seriousness, there are consequences on a hockey level for Vegas. How does the team tackle his absence? Will they go into a full-fledged free fall because of the nagging injury? Perhaps the Golden Knights will step up in his absence as they've done with players like Mark Stone. Maybe it'll awaken some players like Ivan Barbashev out of their slumber.

What William Karlsson's injury means for the Vegas Golden Knights

First, William Karlsson will most likely miss the 4 Nations Face-Off. Being given the week-to-week designation means you're out for at least a month. In the case of the Vegas Golden Knights and any designation, it means longer, as proven by Mark Stone and Nicolas Roy. Losing depth pieces like Cole Schwindt at center doesn't help, either.

Fans should expect the Swedish center to miss time with the Golden Knights, with a potential LTIR reservation waiting. That could make the heads of opposing fans explode, where they're crying for Gary Bettman to do something (although it's perfectly within the rules and nothing wrong is being done). Yep, we're doing that whole song and dance again if Karlsson goes on LTIR.

But what about the other aspects for Vegas? What does it mean to not have Karlsson around? The main thing about the "Original Misfit" is he's a solid penalty killer. He's well-known for solid exits and taking the puck away when killing penalties. His absence will hurt the Golden Knights, especially since they're ranked 22nd (77%).

Most of all, they'll miss an important scoring piece. Sure, Karlsson hasn't done much in his limited time in 2024-25 (seven goals and 11 assists in 38 games). But he's a reliable offensive piece with veteran experience. He's an excellent mentor for players such as Roy and Alexander Holtz, boosting his teammates at every juncture.

Of course, this also means players like Holtz must step up in Karlsson's absence. However, the Golden Knights have shown they can pick up the slack with other players, whether it's Mark Stone, Jack Eichel, or Pavel Dorofeyev. Depth and adaptability haven't been a problem for this team in 2024-25, which is why they sit in first place in the Pacific Division entering Thursday (62 points).