Monday: The terms first reported by The Athletic’s Jesse Granger of an eight-year pact at a $5.9MM AAV has now been confirmed by the Golden Knights. Karlsson is now locked up through the 2026-27 season at what will be a bargain rate for Vegas if his production remains steady. In the meantime though, CapFriendly estimates that the signing puts the Knights $1.5MM over the off-season salary cap with several restricted free agents still in need of contracts. Vegas fans can celebrate the Karlsson contract now, but cost-cutting measures are coming soon.
Sunday: One of the most important offseason tasks that the Vegas Golden Knights and new general manager Kelly McCrimmon must deal with is trying to lock up restricted free agent forward William Karlsson to a new contract. It looks like that task is close to complete as TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that Karlsson is expected to sign an extension later this week and it is believed to be for eight years. TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that the deal will be for just under $6MM.
LeBrun adds that while Karlsson was pushing for an eight-year deal, the Golden Knights were pushing to keep his AAV under $6MM.
The Golden Knights will have to find a way to unload some cap room as they are over the new $81.5MM cap, however for a period during the offseason, a team can exceed the cap by 10 percent, allowing them to go to $89.65MM if they need to. Regardless, they must unload some salary in order to lock up their own free agents, including Karlsson, KHL star Nikita Gusev, Tomas Nosek, Malcolm Subban and likely Deryk Engelland. The team has discussed moving several players to free up some cap space, including defenseman Colin Miller ($3.88MM AAV), center Cody Eakin ($3.85MM AAV), injured forward David Clarkson’s contract ($5.25MM AAV) and potentially moving Gusev as well.
Karlsson, who could have become an unrestricted free-agent had he opted to force arbitration and take a one-year deal, had made it clear that he has wanted to remain in Vegas, where he loves it. According to LeBrun, the eight-year term was the most important part of the deal. While it’s been clear that Vegas was just as interested in bringing back their top-line center, much of the issue of signing the 26-year-old to a long-term deal was how much to pay him.
Known as one of the Golden Misfits after Columbus left him exposed to the expansion draft after he tallied just 15 goals in two full seasons with the Blue Jackets, Vegas picked him up and he rewarded them by posting a 43-goal, 78-point season in the Golden Knights inaugural season that led them to the Stanley Cup Finals. However, the team was leery of those numbers, however, as Karlsson shot an unbelievable 23.4 percent, a number that wasn’t considered likely to be repeated. The team expected a drop off this year and it came as Karlsson’s numbers dropped to 24 goals and 56 points as his shooting percentage dropped as expected to 14.2 percent.
Regardless, Karlsson has become one of the key faces to the franchise and remains the team’s top center partnered with Jon Marchessault and Reilly Smith for two straight seasons and has always been considered a must-sign, although there has been little doubt that Vegas and Karlsson would get a deal done.
nice cap space you got there
Pens should offer Simon, Ruhwedel and a pick to VGK for Haula and Miller. The Pens then trade Schultz for a draft pick to make the cap room.
This gives the Pens a well priced 3C and replace Schultz with Miller at 2/3rd the cost. Both are young.
Vegas gets the cap space they need and two cheap but serviceable replacements.
steal if those are the terms. in this NHL Karlsson should be a $7 mill player
Nice to see a player with his skill taking such a big hometown discount. He could’ve tried to max out for every last dollar but now they are in a way better position.
“However, the team was leery of those numbers, however, as Karlsson shot an unbelievable 23.4 percent, a number that wasn’t considered likely to be repeated.”
However, that hurt.
Great hometown discount
Jd ,
Your off your rocker he had maybe one good season and wasn’t even a point a game player at that. What’s with your love swedehearts?
JD ,
Hometown discount he’s not playing in Sweden that would be a “hometown discount” bud.
oh Marner. It’s sad to see some of the comments you make to seem cool.
this is an incredible discount. Mitch is asking for more than 10 million and these two guys are pretty similar. one is a better playmaker but both play PP and SH, both are first line players. If Karlsson to you isnt a 6 million dollar player, Mitch isnt an 8 let alone 10.
btw one good season? He had 43 goals, was nearly a +50 and won some NHL hardware. Arguably the same could be said of Mitch. good seasons in his first two but one really great season.
Was really hoping the avs would be able to sign him to an offer sheet. looks like Vegas is making the right move. Thatbcap space still has to get them in trouble though.
Maybe tuch could still be had?
Price – this guy isn’t even close to Marner’s level. IMHO, Karlsson just got overpaid, and he knows it considering the fact he’s going to sign it.
Padam… I do believe Marner is better but 4 million per better? not a chance.
Marner is a fantastic playmaker, works hard and reads the ice, but also played on a line with a top 25 player in the game. Playing with a pure goal scorer can inflate numbers just a bit. See Nylander, William.
Also definitely not overpaid. Look at some of the guys making 6 million in this league. unless you want to compare to MacKinnon who clearly should be in the $10-11 per season range, I’d rather Karlsson then Nylander, Hayes, Backes, Kesler, Lucic, Nugent-Hopkins, Ryan, etc.
your opinion is your opinion for sure but this is a steal of a deal for the Knights.
Priceiswrong,
You’ve being too much Plinko making you dizzy in the head! Mitch is definitely worth that is he the best player on his team and one of the most exciting talents in the league. He was 11th overall in scoring. Really your comparison of the two is foolish. Your comparing two players that don’t even come close to comparing.
Padam,
Is 100 percent correct. Where was your boy Karlsson last year in scoring price ????
and 2 years ago do you want to compare the stats? or can you only remember back to last season?
again mitch is a great player and better than Karlsson but again my point is if Mitch is a 10 million dollar player, Karlsson is minimum 7
Sure compare them all you want. Marner deserves upwards of 11 plus as better then tavares and matthews !
Why stop at 11. Give Marner 12 million a year. I’d love to see it
SuperSinker,
He should be paid at least 12 hands down!
Karlsson is a year younger than Kevin Hayes & outperformed him each of the last two seasons. The Flyers are paying Hayes $7.142 million a season. For Vegas to get Karlsson for more than a million less than Hayes signed for is a bargain
I don’t think anyone would argue that Hayes was an overpay. That’s a contract the flyers will regret.
^arguing with a guy named Marner#16 about Marners contract is probably a waste of time
Maybe on an eight digit AAV contact would be a death sentence for the leafs. Too much money into too few players is a recipe that will get you to the playoffs every year, but never a championship. I really like marner, but guys like him are the reason there is a salary cap. The karlsson deal will be a fair deal, and he is wise to not go the marner route.
Also, Mitch is insane not to take the offer he was given!
Pawtucket,
Good call. Oviously im not Mitch nor do I represent him as a agent. This is my personal view.
Price ,
Totally 4 mil more he was 11th in scoring .Karl was 80 something!!!
M34,
What offer are you talking about? Hes seen Matthews ana Tavares sign for big money why wouldnt he expect at least that. I dont believe in 8 year deals however if you could lock mitch up id do it it would put him at age 30 when the deal is done !