The Vegas Golden Knights have been a success year after year since joining the NHL back in 2018, and in that time, they've featured some of the league's biggest stars, winning one Stanley Cup in their nine-year existence already.
While it's the likes of Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and other departed players that have led the way in the franchise's history, they've also got plenty of unsung heroes.
One name that comes to mind when describing unsung heroes in Vegas is William Karlsson, who was acquired by the team in the expansion draft as an underperforming former second-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
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With some players leaving in recent years, Karlsson's role became even more important in 2025/26, but after playing in just 14 games in the regular season, he has not been on the ice for Vegas since November 8th. Now, the team is set for a major boost, as head coach John Tortorella has now officially confirmed that Karlsson will be back in the lineup for Game 1 of their second-round matchup with the Anaheim Ducks.
While the team fared just fine against the Utah Mammoth, swiftly eliminating the NHL's newest team in six games in the first round, getting Karlsson back as a middle-six center is massive news for a team that will need all the depth it can get in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Karlsson isn't just depth either, as he had 11 goals and 17 points in 22 postseason games back in 2022/23 when Vegas won its first Stanley Cup.
This will be a huge boost for Vegas, and while they'll have their hands full with the young, hungry Ducks, getting Karlsson back to add to this forward group could be just what they need for another deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
