NHL fans react to latest William Karlsson injury update ahead of Game 6

William Karlsson suffered an injury in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final against the Carolina Hurricanes. Karlsson’s injury took place during the second period after he got hit by the Hurricanes’ Sean Walker during a battle for possession of the puck.

Following the injury, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman provided an update on Karlsson’s situation. On X, Friedman wrote a tweet in which he mentioned that Vegas Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella has indicated Karlsson won’t be playing in the final again.

Friedman’s tweet quickly went viral, and many fans were shocked to hear the update on William Karlsson. One user on X said that Karlsson’s inability to play in the Stanley Cup final again is a major loss for the Golden Knights.

Let us take a look at more reactions:

“If they’re going to win they’re going to have to do it without Karlsson, and Marner. What a development!,” one fan wrote.

“Doesn’t matter. Stone, Hertl, Eichel, and Marner refuse to shoot at the net. Pavel finally broke through a little tonight but probably too little too late. VGK’s top players won’t go the net for an ugly rebound goal, let alone shooting at the net to create a rebound chance,” a fan wrote.

“Great. F**k you Sean Walker,” one user wrote.

“Brutal. Hope for or a quick recovery!,” a user wrote.

“Hate to hear this,” one fan wrote.

Along with William Karlsson’s injury, the Vegas Golden Knights also had to deal with the setback of losing 4-2 against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5. The upcoming Game 6 will be a do-or-die situation for the Golden Knights, and they will have to cross the finishing line without a key starter in Karlsson.

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What did John Tortorella say about William Karlsson and his injury?

John Tortorella is under a lot of pressure lately. While Tortorella was highly praised for guiding the Vegas Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup final after Bruce Cassidy’s departure, he now faces a situation where his team is one defeat away from losing the Stanley Cup.

Along with this pressure, Tortorella must also deal with the setback of losing out on an important player like William Karlsson. After the game, Tortorella said Karlsson won’t be with the team, and it’s important for his side to fill that void.

“He’s not going to be with us, probably, so we gotta find a way to fill that void, not just with one guy, but as a team,” Tortorella said.

John Tortorella also spoke about William Karlsson’s importance as a player. Tortorella called him a world-class player.

““He’s an important piece for us… Up the middle of the ice, penalty killer, power-play guy, and he’s a winner… He means so much. He’s a world-class player. He plays in all situations,” Tortorella added.

William Karlsson had performed decently for the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2025-26 Stanley Cup playoffs. Karlson featured in 15 games for his side, scoring three goals with six assists and nine points. It will be interesting to see if the Golden Knights can fill the void left by Karlsson’s injury in Game 6 on Sunday.

Edited by Varun Anand Bhat