William Karlsson will not play for the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Karlsson exited Game 5 during the second period of Vegas’ 4-2 loss to Carolina and did not return. The forward appeared to suffer an injury to his left arm or shoulder after being knocked into the boards by Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker.
Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman shared on X that Golden Knights coach John Tortorella confirmed Karlsson’s status ahead of Sunday’s game.
“John Tortorella on Carter Hart: he’s ready to go. William Karlsson won’t play tomorrow,” Friedman wrote.
The Golden Knights will now have to find a way to replace Karlsson’s production in a must-win game. The 32-year-old had nine points in 14 playoff games after returning earlier this postseason from a six month absence due to an undisclosed injury.
“We’ve got to find a way to fill that void,” Tortorella said after Game 5. “Not just with one guy, but as a team.”
It remains unclear who will take William Karlsson’s place in the lineup as Vegas tries to avoid elimination and force a Game 7.
William Karlsson returned after missing most of the season
William Karlsson had already missed most of the season before this latest injury concern.
The veteran forward played just 14 regular-season games after suffering a lower-body injury in November that later required surgery, keeping him out for nearly six months.
He returned for Game 1 of the second-round series against the Anaheim Ducks and gave Vegas an important presence down the middle during the playoffs.
“He’s an important piece to us,” Tortorella said. “Up the middle of the ice, penalty kill, power-play guy. He’s a winner.”
In 15 playoff games, Karlsson recorded three goals and six assists for nine points while posting a plus-10 rating and averaging 17:12 of ice time.
“It’s tough, he’s done a great job coming back,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “He’s an awesome player, a big leader in the room. He’s a Day 1 guy. Been around a long time, he’s a 200-foot player. You definitely miss him when he’s not in there. So hopefully he can play, but if not, we’ll be ready.”
After missing a large part of the regular season, Karlsson’s return helped strengthen the Golden Knights during their run to the Stanley Cup Final.
Despite William Karlsson’s absence, Vegas will look to keep its season alive after falling 4-2 to Carolina in Game 5. The Golden Knights now trail 3-2 in the Stanley Cup Final heading into Game 6.
Edited by Sonali Verma