William Karlsson is the younger brother of Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson. While Erik is one of the NHL’s top defensemen, William is making a name for himself in the hockey world as well.
William was born in Landsbro, Sweden in 1994, two years after his brother Erik. He began playing hockey at a young age, and was soon playing in the Swedish junior leagues. He was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the third round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
William made his NHL debut in the 2014-15 season, playing in two games for the Blue Jackets. He then spent the next two seasons playing in the AHL, before finally making the Blue Jackets roster for the 2017-18 season.
William has since become a key part of the Blue Jackets lineup, playing in all 82 games in the 2018-19 season. He scored a career-high 25 goals and added 25 assists, finishing the season with 50 points. He also had a career-high plus-minus rating of +17.
William has also been a key part of the Blue Jackets’ success in the playoffs. He scored the game-winning goal in Game 4 of the first round against the Tampa Bay Lightning, helping the Blue Jackets to a 4-2 series win. He also scored the game-winning goal in Game 6 of the second round against the Boston Bruins, helping the Blue Jackets to a 4-2 series win.
William and Erik have been teammates on the international stage as well. They both represented Sweden at the 2018 World Championships, where they won a silver medal.
William is a great example of how hard work and dedication can pay off. He has worked his way up from the Swedish junior leagues to the NHL, and is now a key part of the Blue Jackets’ success. He is also a great role model for his brother Erik, showing him that anything is possible if you put in the work.
