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Photo of William Karlsson

William Karlsson

#71 · Centre · Vegas Golden Knights

Born Jan 8, 1993 in Marsta, SWE (age 33) · 6'0", 190 lb · Shoots left · Drafted 53rd overall in 2011 by ANA (round 2)

Trophy case

Stanley Cup NHL Champion 2022-23
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy Sportsmanship and Gentlemanly Conduct 2017-18

Compare with a similar player

The forwards closest to him in points in 2015-16. Pick one to see the two side by side, or choose someone else.

Chris Tierney SJS · 20 P in 79 GP Brian Boyle TBL · 20 P in 76 GP Curtis Lazar OTT · 20 P in 76 GP Viktor Stalberg NYR · 20 P in 75 GP Chris Stewart ANA · 20 P in 56 GP

Career

Regular season games only. Pick a season to see its game log below. Cap hit is what he counted against the salary cap that season, where it is known.

02040602014-15: 5 points514-152015-16: 20 points2015-162016-17: 25 points2516-172017-18: 78 points7817-182018-19: 56 points5618-192019-20: 46 points4619-202020-21: 39 points3920-212021-22: 35 points3521-222022-23: 53 points5322-232023-24: 60 points6023-242024-25: 29 points2924-252025-26: 7 points725-262026-27: 1 points126-27

Points by season. The darker bar is the season shown below.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Cap hit
2014-15 ANA 18 2 1 3 1 2 24 14 0.17 $831K
2014-15 CBJ 3 1 1 2 2 0 5 4 0.67
2015-16 CBJ 81 9 11 20 -9 6 108 40 0.25 $831K
2016-17 CBJ 81 6 19 25 10 10 96 35 0.31 $1M
2017-18 VGK 82 43 35 78 49 12 184 48 0.95 $1M
2018-19 VGK 82 24 32 56 1 16 169 51 0.68 $5.25M
2019-20 VGK 63 15 31 46 11 16 138 40 0.73 $5.9M
2020-21 VGK 56 14 25 39 19 4 111 29 0.70 $5.9M
2021-22 VGK 67 12 23 35 3 10 135 42 0.52 $5.9M
2022-23 VGK 82 14 39 53 14 10 161 50 0.65 $5.9M
2023-24 VGK 70 30 30 60 15 22 175 43 0.86 $5.9M
2024-25 VGK 53 9 20 29 17 4 119 20 0.55 $5.9M
2025-26 VGK 14 4 3 7 -1 4 30 3 0.50 $5.9M
2026-27 VGK 5 0 1 1 -2 0 7 0 0.20 $5.9M
13 seasons Career 757 183 271 454 130 116 1462 419 0.60

Playoffs

Playoff games only. Pick a season to see that year's bracket.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP
2016-17 CBJ 5 2 1 3 4 0 12 4 0.60
2017-18 VGK 20 7 8 15 8 2 50 30 0.75
2018-19 VGK 7 2 3 5 1 2 17 9 0.71
2019-20 VGK 17 3 4 7 -1 0 45 24 0.41
2020-21 VGK 19 4 12 16 10 2 34 25 0.84
2022-23 VGK 22 11 6 17 11 2 45 15 0.77
2023-24 VGK 7 0 2 2 4 0 9 8 0.29
2024-25 VGK 11 3 3 6 5 0 17 2 0.55
2025-26 VGK 15 3 6 9 10 4 24 6 0.60
9 seasons Playoffs 123 35 45 80 52 12 253 123 0.65

2015-16 season totals

GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Shooting % Avg TOI
81 9 11 20 -9 6 108 40 0.25 8.3 14:28

Contract

$831KCap hitends in 2016, then extended to 2018
$42KCap dollars per point20 points in 81 games
$128KCap dollars per goal above replacement6.5 goals above replacement
$4.7MWorth at the going ratewhat teams paid for a season like his
+$3.8MValueworth minus cap hit; below zero is overpaid

His cap hit for the whole season, set against what he did in the regular season. Lower is better value. In a season still being played the cost per point starts high and falls as the games add up. Value is coloured by where it ranks among the 668 ranked skaters whose contract is known. How value is worked out.

The contract

Signed by the Anaheim Ducks on May 19, 2013, as an entry-level contract: 3 years and $2.775M, beginning in 2013-14. It runs through 2015-16, so this is its last season, and his extension takes over. His next contract is already signed: an extension with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jun 23, 2016, 2 years and $2M at $1M a season, beginning in 2016-17.

Season Cap hit Base salary Signing bonus Performance bonuses Paid in all Clause
2013-14 $831K $550K $93K $283K $643K
2014-15 $831K $833K $93K $925K
2015-16 $831K $833K $93K $925K

Each season of the contract, with this one marked. The cap hit is the same every year; what he is paid is not. The pay is as written when the contract was recorded in October 2024, so a later change, such as the rise in the lowest salary for 2026-27, is not shown.

Contracts he has signed

Signed Signed by Kind Seasons Years In all Cap hit
Sep 30, 2026 Vegas Golden Knights Extension 2027-28 to 2028-29 2 $13.5M $6.75M
Jun 24, 2019 Vegas Golden Knights Extension 2019-20 to 2026-27 8 $47.2M $5.9M
Aug 4, 2018 Vegas Golden Knights New contract 2018-19 to 2018-19 1 $5.25M $5.25M
Jun 23, 2016 Columbus Blue Jackets Extension not begun 2016-17 to 2017-18 2 $2M $1M
May 19, 2013 Anaheim Ducks Entry-level 2013-14 to 2015-16 3 $2.775M $831K

Every contract on record for him, newest first, with the team that signed him to it and the day it was signed. The one covering 2015-16 is marked. An extension is signed while the contract before it is still running, often a year ahead. A row with no team or date is a contract known only by its cap hit, most often one signed since October 2024.

2015-16 analytics

Rating

+6.5Goals above replacement155th of 675 skaters, 109th of 445 forwards
+1.1Wins above replacementgoals above replacement divided by six
+3.2Goals above averagethe five parts below added up

Each number is coloured by where it ranks among the 445 ranked forwards: green is in the top fifth and red the bottom fifth, with paler shades in between and amber for the middle. Hover over a tile for its percentile.

Even-strength offence-0.4 47th percentileEven-strength defence+3.2 96th percentilePower play-0.2 28th percentilePenalty kill-0.6 6th percentilePenalties+1.3 81st percentile

The goals he added to his team's goal difference, compared with a spare-part player given the same ice time. Each part is measured against the league, so zero is an average skater, and the rank beside it is among forwards. A full season is about two-thirds the player and one-third chance. Before 2023-24 the NHL timed events less exactly, and differently from rink to rink, so expected goals for this season are rougher than for recent ones.

051015202014-152016-172018-192020-212022-232024-252026-27Goals above replacementGoals above replacement, by season

On the ice

What happened at five-on-five while he was on the ice. What these numbers mean

49.6Corsi for %803 attempts for, 816 against
+2.2CF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
54.2Expected goals for %41.3 expected for, 34.9 against
+3.7xGF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
50.6Fenwick for %unblocked attempts
44.9Goals for %31 for, 38 against
98.5PDO7.0% shooting + 91.5% saves
160Attempts takenhis own shot attempts

Each share is coloured by where it ranks among the 561 skaters who played enough to be ranked: green is in the top fifth and red the bottom fifth, with paler shades in between and amber for the middle. Hover over a tile for its percentile. PDO and attempts taken are left plain, since neither is good or bad on its own.

Who he played with

Forward lineGPTimeCF%xGF%Goals
Nick Foligno · Matt Calvert · William Karlsson30125:2757.368.57-3
Scott Hartnell · Nick Foligno · William Karlsson2372:3052.150.10-6
Rene Bourque · Matt Calvert · William Karlsson2469:4048.359.41-2
Matt Calvert · Boone Jenner · William Karlsson1352:0754.958.52-2

The lines he spent the most time in at five-on-five, with the team's share of the shot attempts and expected goals, and the goals for and against, while they were out. The two shares are coloured as above, against the league's lines that played a fair amount together. Hover over one for its percentile.

Chances and finishing

Expected goals adds up how likely each of his shots was to go in, judged by where it came from, what kind of shot it was and whether it was a rebound. All situations, leaving out shots at an empty net. Before 2023-24 the NHL timed events less exactly, and differently from rink to rink, so expected goals for this season are rougher than for recent ones.

9Goalsnot counting empty-netters
11.5Expected goalsfrom 145 unblocked attempts
-2.5Goals above expectedgoals minus expected goals
Chances created 0.59 expected goals per 60 minutes32nd
Shot quality 7.9% chance per attempt64th
Finishing -2.5 goals above expected26thOne season of finishing is mostly luck.

Each bar shows the share of forwards he is ahead of, among the 412 who played 300 minutes or more this season.

0510Game 20Game 40Game 60Game 80Expected 11.5Goals 9

His goals and his expected goals as the season went on. When the goals line pulls away above, he is scoring more than his chances were worth; below, less.

Where he shot from

Every attempt he took this season, in all situations, attacking the net on the right. Darker red means more attempts from that spot, and each dot is a goal. "Show every shot" switches to a dot for each attempt, bigger for a better chance. Click a goal for its details.

Game log

Date Opponent Result G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits TOI
Apr 9, 2016 vs CHI W 5-4 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 16:44
Apr 8, 2016 @ BUF W 4-1 0 1 1 1 0 2 0 13:22
Apr 6, 2016 @ TOR W 5-1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 12:24
Apr 4, 2016 vs NYR L 2-4 0 0 0 -1 0 1 1 15:20
Apr 2, 2016 @ CAR W 5-1 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 15:27
Mar 31, 2016 @ NYI L 3-4 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 12:38
Mar 28, 2016 @ WSH L 1-4 0 0 0 -1 0 0 1 14:18
Mar 26, 2016 @ NSH L 1-5 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 13:18
Mar 24, 2016 vs CAR L 2-3 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 11:51
Mar 22, 2016 vs PHI W 3-2 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 13:28
Mar 20, 2016 @ NJD L 1-2 0 0 0 -2 0 3 1 12:51
Mar 19, 2016 vs NJD W 6-3 1 0 1 1 0 2 0 11:02
Mar 17, 2016 vs DET L 1-3 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 12:18
Mar 13, 2016 vs TBL L 0-4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13:05
Mar 11, 2016 vs PIT L 2-3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 16:50
Mar 8, 2016 vs DET W 5-3 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 15:18
Mar 5, 2016 @ PHI L 0-6 0 0 0 -1 0 1 0 16:02
Mar 4, 2016 vs EDM W 6-3 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 18:15
Feb 29, 2016 @ NYR L 1-2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 17:13
Feb 27, 2016 vs FLA W 4-3 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 16:09
Feb 25, 2016 vs NJD W 6-1 0 3 3 3 0 0 0 13:09
Feb 23, 2016 @ DET L 1-2 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18:24
Feb 22, 2016 @ BOS W 6-4 1 0 1 2 0 4 0 17:07
Feb 19, 2016 vs BUF L 0-4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14:33
Feb 16, 2016 vs BOS L 1-2 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 15:41
Feb 13, 2016 vs OTT W 4-2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 14:51
Feb 11, 2016 vs ANA W 4-3 (SO) 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 16:24
Feb 9, 2016 vs NYI L 2-3 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 17:21
Feb 5, 2016 @ CGY W 2-1 2 0 2 2 0 2 0 14:23
Feb 4, 2016 @ VAN W 2-1 (SO) 0 0 0 0 2 3 0 17:12
Feb 2, 2016 @ EDM L 1-5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 13:34
Jan 26, 2016 @ MTL W 5-2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 11:07
Jan 25, 2016 vs MTL W 5-2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 14:04
Jan 23, 2016 @ BOS L 2-3 (SO) 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 15:07
Jan 21, 2016 vs CGY L 2-4 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 12:55
Jan 19, 2016 vs WSH L 3-6 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 15:37
Jan 16, 2016 vs COL W 2-1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 15:54
Jan 13, 2016 @ TOR W 3-1 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 17:54
Jan 12, 2016 @ NYI L 2-5 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 14:14
Jan 9, 2016 vs CAR L 3-4 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 16:03
Jan 8, 2016 @ CAR L 1-4 0 0 0 -2 0 3 0 15:05
Jan 5, 2016 vs MIN L 2-4 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 09:02
Jan 2, 2016 vs WSH W 5-4 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13:24
Dec 29, 2015 vs DAL W 6-3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 14:08
Dec 27, 2015 @ FLA L 2-3 0 0 0 -1 0 0 1 13:56
Dec 26, 2015 @ TBL L 2-5 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 13:23
Dec 21, 2015 @ PIT L 2-5 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 13:04
Dec 19, 2015 vs PHI W 3-2 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 12:47
Dec 17, 2015 @ ARI W 7-5 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 10:18
Dec 15, 2015 @ DAL L 1-5 0 0 0 -1 0 1 1 15:07
Dec 14, 2015 vs TBL L 1-2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 09:44
Dec 12, 2015 vs NYI L 2-3 (OT) 0 0 0 -1 0 3 1 10:50
Dec 10, 2015 @ WPG L 4-6 0 0 0 -2 0 1 0 10:27
Dec 8, 2015 vs LAK L 2-3 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 15:28
Dec 5, 2015 @ PHI W 4-1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 16:10
Dec 4, 2015 vs FLA L 1-2 (SO) 0 0 0 -1 0 1 1 15:15
Dec 1, 2015 @ MTL L 1-2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 09:35
Nov 28, 2015 @ STL L 1-3 0 0 0 -1 0 1 1 16:35
Nov 27, 2015 vs PIT W 2-1 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 14:25
Nov 25, 2015 @ NJD W 2-1 1 0 1 1 0 2 0 15:43
Nov 22, 2015 vs SJS L 3-5 0 1 1 -1 0 0 0 16:58
Nov 20, 2015 vs NSH W 4-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18:23
Nov 19, 2015 @ OTT L 0-3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 14:13
Nov 17, 2015 vs STL W 3-1 0 0 0 -1 0 2 0 14:50
Nov 14, 2015 vs ARI W 5-2 2 0 2 2 0 2 0 18:50
Nov 13, 2015 @ PIT W 2-1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 15:46
Nov 10, 2015 vs VAN L 3-5 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 13:34
Nov 6, 2015 @ ANA L 2-4 0 0 0 -2 0 4 2 14:20
Nov 5, 2015 @ LAK W 3-2 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 16:25
Nov 3, 2015 @ SJS W 5-2 0 0 0 -1 0 2 2 19:25
Oct 31, 2015 vs WPG L 2-3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11:08
Oct 30, 2015 @ WSH L 1-2 0 0 0 -1 0 1 1 15:11
Oct 27, 2015 @ NJD W 3-1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 15:58
Oct 24, 2015 @ COL W 4-3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 16:34
Oct 22, 2015 @ MIN L 2-3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 10:55
Oct 20, 2015 vs NYI L 0-4 0 0 0 -1 0 2 2 10:54
Oct 17, 2015 @ CHI L 1-4 0 0 0 -1 0 0 1 15:11
Oct 16, 2015 vs TOR L 3-6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14:11
Oct 14, 2015 vs OTT L 3-7 0 0 0 -1 0 5 1 14:41
Oct 12, 2015 @ BUF L 2-4 0 0 0 -1 0 1 1 13:52
Oct 10, 2015 @ NYR L 2-5 0 0 0 -4 0 1 1 12:52