Since his stellar first year with the Vegas Golden Knights, center William Karlsson has long been the subject of contract speculation. Fans thought that after his incredible 2017-2018 season performance, he was going to get a contract for sure.
While hockey is a sport, it’s also a business. As with hiring any employee, the Golden Knights had to do their due diligence before just dishing out an offer sheet to our favorite Swede. After all, his numbers with the Columbus Blue Jackets weren’t astronomical, and his rockstar performance during their first season could have been a fluke.
Good thing for Karlsson (and the organization) that it wasn’t. The first-line center impressed the organization so much that they’re closing in on a long-term deal.
According to The Athletic’s Jesse Granger, Karlsson is expected to sign an eight-year deal to remain a Golden Knight. The contract is valued at $5.9 million AAV. He’s expected to put pen to paper within the next two days.
This deal works out great for both parties, once finalized. The Golden Knights get an absolute beast of a player. Karlsson stays in a city and with a team he adores.
Even with the Karlsson situation handled, the organization isn’t out of the woods just yet. The salary cap is still a huge issue to tackle. Leaving the upcoming Karlsson contract out of it, the Knights are still $1.5 million over the $81.5 million salary cap. And plenty of free agents are floating around.
There is sure to be some movement on the team in the coming days and weeks. Make sure you stay with the VGK Ladies to get the most up-to-date news.
