| William Karlsson Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft 1 in |
| Weight | 88 kg |
| Date of Birth | January 8, 1993 |
| Zodiac Sign | Capricorn |
| Spouse |
Emily Ferguson
|
William Karlsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey player who has represented, as a center, HV71 (2012-13-2013-14) in the SHL (Swedish Hockey League); and the Anaheim Ducks (2014-15), the Columbus Blue Jackets (2014-15-2016-17), and the Vegas Golden Knights (2017-18-Present) in the NHL (National Hockey League). With the Vegas Golden Knights, William reached the Stanley Cup Finals in the 2017-18 season. The Stanley Cup Finals is the championship series of the NHL and is the culmination of the playoffs of the Stanley Cup, the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America. Representing Sweden, he won the ‘Gold’ medal at the 2012 edition of the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) World Junior Championship and the 2017 edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The former title was Sweden’s 2nd such – after their first triumph in 1981. The latter title was the country’s 10th such, making it the 4th most successful team in the competition. William also won the ‘Silver’ medal at the 2011 edition of the IIHF World Under-18 Championship and the 2013 edition of the IIHF World Junior Championship.
Born Name
Lars William Karlsson
Nick Name
Wild Bill
Sun Sign
Capricorn
Born Place
Märsta, Sigtuna Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden
Residence
He splits his time between Stockholm, Sweden, and Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, United States.
Nationality
Occupation
Professional Ice Hockey Player
Family
- Father – Lars Karlsson
- Others – John Ferguson (Father-in-Law), Jill Ferguson (Mother-in-Law), Haley Ferguson (Sister-in-Law) (TV Personality)
Position
Center
Shoots
Left
Jersey Number
- 71 – Sweden, Vegas Golden Knights
- 38 – Anaheim Ducks
- 20, 25 – Columbus Blue Jackets
Build
Athletic
Height
6 ft 1 in or 185.5 cm
Weight
88 kg or 194 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
William has dated –
- Emily Ferguson (2017-Present) – William started dating American model and TV personality Emily Ferguson in November 2017. The couple got engaged on December 11, 2020, and married on July 23, 2022. In November 2022, it was announced that they were expecting their first child together.
Race / Ethnicity
White
He is of Swedish descent.
Hair Color
Blonde
Eye Color
Blue
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Toned physique
- Overgrown, neck-length, center-parted hair
- Often sports a thin beard
- Affable smile
William Karlsson Facts
- William began his career in the 2007-08 season with a local club called Wings HC Arlanda in J18 Elit, the highest level of under-18 ice hockey in Sweden. In the 2009-10 season, he joined the youth system of Västerås IK, a professional ice hockey club based in Västerås, Sweden.
- With the club, until the 2011-12 season, he competed in J18 Elit, J20 Nationell (the highest-level junior ice hockey league in Sweden), and HockeyAllsvenskan (the 2nd-highest division in the Swedish senior ice hockey league system). In the 2011-12 season of HockeyAllsvenskan, William recorded 45 points (goals and assists) in 46 games, the second-most for Västerås IK.
- He was selected 53rd overall in the 2nd round of the 2011 NHL (National Hockey League) Entry Draft by the Anaheim Ducks. The NHL is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams – 25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL Entry Draft is annually held for the league’s franchises to select the rights to available ice hockey players (amateurs from junior/collegiate leagues and professionals from European leagues) who meet draft eligibility requirements.
- In the 2012-13 season, William was recruited by HV71, a professional ice hockey club based in Jönköping, a city in southern Sweden. In May 2013, he signed a 3-year, entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks which loaned him back to HV71 for the 2013-14 season.
- With HV71, until the 2013-14 season, he competed in J20 Nationell and SHL (Swedish Hockey League), the highest division in the Swedish senior ice hockey league system. In 2013, he won the ‘SHL Rookie of the Year’ award. The award has been presented by Svenska Spel (a state-owned company operating in the regulated gambling market in Sweden) since the 1989-90 season.
- In the 2013-14 season, he also played a few games for the now-defunct Norfolk Admirals, the Anaheim Ducks‘ AHL (American Hockey League) affiliate. The AHL is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada and serves as the primary developmental league for the NHL.
- The following season (2014-15), he played for the Anaheim Ducks in the NHL and the Norfolk Admirals in the AHL. That season, he also made a few appearances for the Springfield Falcons in the AHL.
- In March 2015, William was traded to a fellow NHL team – the Columbus Blue Jackets. In June 2017, in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, he was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights, the NHL‘s expansion team for the 2017-18 season.
- He scored the first hat trick (3 goals in a single game) of his NHL career in December 2017. It was also the first hat trick in Vegas Golden Knights‘ history – the 2017-18 season was the team’s first in the NHL. William ended the regular season with a career-high 43 goals, setting a new NHL record for the most number of goals scored by a player in an expansion team’s inaugural season.
- In June 2018, he won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, presented annually, since 1925, to the NHL player adjudged to have exhibited the best sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability. This made William the first player since the legendary Wayne Gretzky to have won an end-of-season award in his team’s inaugural season in the NHL.
- He also won the Viking Award in 2018. It is presented annually to the best Swedish ice hockey player in North America and is decided by a vote among all Swedish-born players participating in the NHL and its affiliate leagues.
- For his performances in the 2017-18 season, William was also honored with Guldpucken (The Golden Puck), awarded annually, since the 1955-56 season, to the best Swedish ice hockey player. In June 2019, having recorded 56 points (24 goals and 32 assists) in the 2018-19 season, he signed a new 8-year, USD 47.2 million contract with the Vegas Golden Knights.
- He is a staunch supporter of AIK (Allmänna Idrottsklubben), a professional sports club based in Stockholm. William has often stated that it was his childhood dream to represent the club’s soccer team.
Featured Image by William Karlsson / Instagram
