William Karlsson's 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy Run

Lore & Background

One of the few expansion franchises to experience immediate success in North American professional sports, the Golden Knights have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs in eight of their first nine seasons and reached the Stanley Cup Final in their first season. Their 13 playoff wins en route to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final are the most for a team during their inaugural postseason run. In 2023, the club returned to the Stanley Cup Final and won their first championship in their sixth season of existence, becoming the fastest expansion team to win the Stanley Cup in NHL history.

In Their Own Story

The arena hums with a tension so thick it feels like ice on the lungs. Karlsson skates to the faceoff circle, the puck suspended between his stick and the referee's hand. The crowd is silent, holding its breath for the seventh game of the series. He wins the draw, a simple tap back to a teammate, initiating a rush that will eventually lead to the championship. There are no fireworks yet, just the grind of skates on ice and the quiet certainty of a captain who knows exactly what needs to be done.

Reader's Guide

The team's inaugural season (2017–2018) saw them set multiple records, including the most points by an expansion team (84) and becoming the first true expansion team in the four major sports to win its division in its inaugural season. They were defeated in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final by the Washington Capitals in five games. In 2023, they won the Stanley Cup, but the source article does not specify who won the Conn Smythe Trophy that year.

Did You Know?

• The Golden Knights are the first team in NHL history to start their inaugural season winning eight of their first nine games.
• They set an NHL expansion team record of six straight wins in December 2017, later extended to eight straight wins.
• The team won 13 postseason games in 2018, breaking the record for the most wins by an expansion team in their first playoff run.