Over the weekend, the Vegas Golden Knights announced they had come to terms with William Karlsson, a restricted free agent. The star center penned a one-year contract through the 2018-19 season. “Wild Bill” got a well-deserved raise from $1M to $5.25M per season, setting himself up for an extended deal next summer.
“I’m happy to have my deal and we don’t have to speculate other things. I want to prove that I can do it more than just once. Hopefully I play good and can look at a longer deal in the future.”-William Karlsson, VGK Center
What We Know About Karlsson
- Selected #53rd Overall in 2011 NHL Draft
- Led the Golden Knights in Goals (43) and Points (78)
- Led the NHL in Shooting Percentage (23.4) and Plus/Minus (+49)
- Won 2017-18 Lady Byng Trophy
Fans of the new franchise got to witness the 25-year-old Swede have his breakout season in Las Vegas. Karlsson’s (0.95) Points Per Game average was a big reason the Golden Knights finished fourth in scoring.
What We May Not Know About Karlsson
- Born January 1993 in Märsta, Sweden
- 2012 World Juniors Gold Medalist
- Awarded the 2013 Swedish Hockey League Rookie of the Year Honors
- Won The Hockey News’ Cam Neely Award for Breakout Player
- Set Career Highs in; Games (82), Goals (43), Assists (35), Points (78), Plus/Minus (+49), Penalty Minutes (12), Time On Ice (18:43), Hits (48), Takeaways (78)
- Karlsson’s Shooting Percentage (23.4%) was the highest in the NHL since Curtis Glencross recorded a (23.6%) for Calgary in 2011-12
“William had a great year for us and we are excited to now have him under contract for next season.”-George McPhee, VGK GM
Expectations are certainly high for Karlsson now, but he’s confident he’ll continue the performance he had last season in 2018-19. The top line center may not score 43 goals next year but his point total shouldn’t drop much. Wild Bill will be heavily focused on for opponents so expect more assists. If Karlsson can register 70+ overall points in 2018-19, he’ll be making a lot more than his $5.25M this time next year. Fans are definitely thankful #71 will be wearing a Golden Knights jersey until the 2019-2020 season.
Last season, Attorney Adam Kutner gave away tickets to the Vegas Golden Knights home games, along with Zamboni rides during the intermissions. As an avid hockey fan, Adam Kutner looks to keep the VGK spirit alive by providing weekly news updates about the team’s offseason. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news on our beloved Golden Knights.
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