NHL insider gives latest on William Karlsson's future amid Mitch Marner to Golden Knights speculations

As the Vegas Golden Knights look to retool following a failed playoff run, William Karlsson's future is up in the air. The team is reportedly considering signing star free agent Mitch Marner - which might run counter to having Karlsson on the roster - prompting trade rumors.

Right now, the Golden Knights aren't the leading contender for the forward, but they seem to be in the sweepstakes before free agency officially begins. And so for now, it seems, Karlsson is safe.

At least, that's the case according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, who discussed it on Tuesday's episode of 32 Thoughts (36:00):

"All I'm going to say is that I got pushback from teams about Karlsson," Friedman said. "Now, I haven't spoken to Vegas directly, and it's always possible... I asked a few people about Karlsson, and either they told me they're not under the impression he's available, or, I suspect, in at least one or two cases, they asked and were told no."

Friedman said there might be 10 or 15 untouchable players in the league, and while that doesn't necessarily apply to Karlsson, the insider added that it's looking less likely that he gets moved.

William Karlsson has been in trade rumors. (Credits: IMAGN)

He went on:

"I asked around about Karlsson, and just the people I speak to, they told me they had either no indication Vegas was willing to do it, or had been specifically told Vegas wasn't doing it. So if Karlsson's available, and I stress if... you'd have to show me what the situation would be."

Even for the Toronto Maple Leafs star, Karlsson probably isn't getting moved any time soon.

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NHL analyst thinks a William Karlsson trade is somewhat likely

The Vegas Golden Knights are set to be active in free agency - targeting players like Mitch Marner, Sam Bennet or Aaron Ekblad to make a significant impact - which may come at a cost.

They don't exactly have a ton of cap space, which is why it's being reported that they're interested in clearing some up with a trade. That's where William Karlsson's name comes in, because he's one of the most expensive players on the team.

Rono Analyst called him a "legit" second-line center that could help a lot of teams and provide some cap relief for a team that's in desperate need of it. Talent is one thing, but financial flexibility is another, and it looks as if Vegas might be angling for the latter.