William Karlsson Returns for Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1
William Karlsson returned to the vegas golden knights lineup Monday against the Anaheim Ducks in Game 1 of the Western Conference Second Round after missing time since Nov. 8 with a lower-body injury. The center said he was ready to go after a long recovery stretch, giving Vegas a playoff option it had not had for months.
Karlsson Back Against Anaheim
Karlsson played in the series opener after not appearing in a game since Nov. 8. He said, "I’m very excited."
He added, "Yeah, I’m ready to go. It’s been a long journey, but now I’m here, so it feels good." The Golden Knights needed his return at center for a second-round matchup that puts immediate pressure on every shift.
Long Road Since Nov. 8
Last week, Karlsson practiced with Henderson of the American Hockey League, then joined Vegas on Thursday and Sunday before stepping back into the lineup Monday. He said, "I just want to get into the groove and hopefully play a good game" and added, "It’s the playoffs, so there’s no, like, waiting around and easing in. It’s just, you’ve got to get into it."
That route back was not short. Karlsson had been out since Nov. 8 because of a lower-body injury, and the return came only after those recent practice sessions with Henderson and Vegas.
Tortorella And Karlsson
The matchup also tied back to Karlsson’s early NHL path. The Ducks selected him in the second round, No. 53, of the 2011 NHL Draft, he played 18 games for them in 2014-15, and they later traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 2, 2015.
He then played under John Tortorella from 2015-17, and Tortorella later replaced Bruce Cassidy as Golden Knights coach on March 29. Karlsson said of Tortorella’s memory of calling him after Columbus left him unprotected, "Yeah, I do remember it," and added, "I was back home in Sweden, and he gave me a call. Yeah, long time ago now. But yeah, older now, and hopefully … It was just meant to be, you know? It’s just the way it goes."
Vegas Needs His Minutes
Karlsson’s return matters because he remains one of Vegas’ most productive playoff-era centers. He ranks second in Golden Knights history with 403 points in 569 regular-season games, behind Jonathan Marchessault’s 417 points in 514 games, and he ranks fourth with 71 playoff points in 106 games.
He also arrived at Vegas with a sharp jump in output, posting 78 points in 82 games in his first season with the club after totaling 50 points in his first 183 games before that. The Golden Knights, who won the Stanley Cup in 2023, now get that production back in a series that started with Karlsson on the ice again.
