# Keegan Kolesar

Keegan Kolesar (born April 8, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). Kolesar is a Stanley Cup champion, having won it in 2023 with the Golden Knights.

## Playing career

Kolesar was drafted 69th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets. On June 24, 2017, Kolesar was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Vegas' second-round draft pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. He was called up to the Golden Knights on January 10, 2020, and made his NHL debut the following night against the Blue Jackets.
On March 22, 2021, Kolesar scored his first NHL goal in the third period of the Golden Knights 5–1 win against the St. Louis Blues.
On June 13, 2023, Kolesar won his first Stanley Cup, with Vegas defeating the Florida Panthers 9-3 to win their first championship in franchise history.
On December 13, 2024, during the 2024–25 season, and as a pending free agent, Kolesar signed a three-year extension with the Golden Knights, keeping him in Vegas through the 2027–28 season.

## Personal life

Kolesar was born on April 8, 1997, in Brandon, Manitoba to former NFL and CFL linebacker K. D. Williams and Corrinne. The parents divorced following his birth and Corrinne remarried to Charles Peterson who played for the Kansas City T-Bones of the Northern League. During the 2019–20 NHL season, Peterson contracted COVID-19. When Peterson's death became imminent in mid-September 2020, Kolesar left his team's bubble to say goodbye to his step-father.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2012–13 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013–14 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 60 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 45 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2014–15 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 64 | 19 | 19 | 38 | 85 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 64 | 30 | 31 | 61 | 107 | 16 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 8 |
| 2016–17 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 54 | 26 | 34 | 60 | 101 | 19 | 12 | 19 | 31 | 37 |
| 2017–18 | Quad City Mallards | ECHL | 20 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017–18 | Chicago Wolves | AHL | 44 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 46 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018–19 | Chicago Wolves | AHL | 74 | 20 | 16 | 36 | 90 | 21 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 48 |
| 2019–20 | Chicago Wolves | AHL | 33 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019–20 | Vegas Golden Knights | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Vegas Golden Knights | NHL | 44 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 30 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 2021–22 | Vegas Golden Knights | NHL | 77 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 68 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23 | Vegas Golden Knights | NHL | 74 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 68 | 22 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 50 |
| 2023–24 | Vegas Golden Knights | NHL | 79 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 49 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 275 | 26 | 47 | 73 | 215 | 45 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 56 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2014 | Canada Western | U17 | 9th | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 |

## Awards and honours

| Award | Year |
| NHL |||
| Stanley Cup champion | 2023 |