William Karlsson was acquired as part of the James Wisniewski trade with Anaheim in March 2015. Columbus fans were mad at the time – some held up Wisniewski as one of the top players on the team – but Wiz has played just 14 NHL regular-season games since the deal while Karlsson has been a mainstay in the Columbus lineup.
Karlsson has played 165 games with the Blue Jackets since the deal, racking up 16 goals and 31 assists for 47 points. The centerman received Lady Byng votes in 2015-16 and is coming off a 6-19-25 season for the playoff-bound Jackets. By the end of the year, his pairing with Josh Anderson and Matt Calvert gave the team a hard-to-play-against fourth line that could also put the puck in the net at times.
But will that be enough to catch the eye of Vegas' talent staff?
Why He Will Be Selected
When it comes down to it, a lot of players like Karlsson will be available. With teams being able to protect up to seven forwards (most are expected to go the 7-3-1 route instead of the eight players and one goalie model), that means you won't see too many first- and second-line players available.
So among such players, Karlsson provides an intriguing option. He'll be 24 when next season starts and put up a solid 25-point campaign last year including a career-high 19 assists in a fourth-line situation. Depending how Vegas goes about putting together its roster, a young, cheap center who can kill penalties and also score a little could be an attractive choice.
He also had a solid playoff performance in the final two games, which is the kind of thing that can catch the eye of a team.
Why He Won't Be Selected
The fact that players of Karlsson's ilk will be available means the Golden Knights could choose to go another direction when it comes to finding forwards who can fill the bottom half of the lineup. The odds are if Vegas is looking for centers, there will likely be others available.
In addition, Karlsson's possession metrics the past few seasons have been questionable, though it is fair to point out that's to be expected among fourth-line players who are tasked with a more defensive role than an offensive one.
Much of this will likely depend on how Vegas goes about filling its roster. Will the Golden Knights look to Columbus for a goaltender like Joonas Korpisalo? Will Jack Johnson's bigger salary and ability to play big minutes be key? Or will Vegas look for a young forward who gives the team flexibility? So much will depend on other choices.
Contract Status
According to CapFriendly.com, Karlsson has just one year left on his deal at a $1 million cap hit. That makes him a cheap option who can immediately help at the NHL level without locking up too many resources from Vegas' long-term plan.
