Knights center week to week with injury: ‘He’s obviously a big loss for us’

Golden Knights center William Karlsson is week to week with a lower-body injury, the team announced Thursday.

The 32-year-old has 18 points in 38 games this season. He doesn’t have a point his last seven games. He was given the day off from practice Tuesday, but coach Bruce Cassidy said Karlsson’s body didn’t respond as the team had hoped.

“We were hoping for good news. It wasn’t what we wanted, or what he wanted,” Cassidy said. “We’ll see how it plays out. It’s a hole in our lineup when he’s out.”

Karlsson missed the first eight games of the Knights’ season after aggravating a hamstring injury that hampered him in the playoffs. It’s unknown if his current injury is related to his previous one.

Karlsson’s absence could put his status for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off in question. He was named to Team Sweden for the four-team tournament that will take place Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston.

“He’s obviously a big loss for us,” right wing Victor Olofsson said. “I think guys got to step up and take a little more responsibility. We’ve done it all year when guys are out.”

The Knights are in St. Louis on Thursday to face the Blues on the first leg of a back-to-back. They’ll face the Dallas Stars on Friday at American Airlines Center.

The Knights recalled center Tanner Laczynski and right wing Brendan Brisson from Henderson with Karlsson out.

Brett Howden, who missed practice Tuesday with an illness, traveled with the Knights but is a game-time decision Thursday, according to Cassidy.

Brisson, the team’s 2020 first-round pick, does not have a point in seven appearances this season.

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.