Senators’ William Eklund out indefinitely with ankle injury
The Ottawa Senators will be without their star offseason acquisition for a while.
Coach Travis Green announced Friday that forward William Eklund will be out “for an extended period” with an ankle injury he suffered during Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers. There’s no timeline for his return.
Eklund struggled to get off the ice after taking a hit in the Flyers’ zone by Philadelphia defenseman Simon Benoit.
Ottawa Sun reporter Bruce Garrioch reported early Friday that Eklund went for further testing on his left ankle. He said it was “doubtful we’ll see him in the forseeable future.”
The Senators acquired Eklund and two prospects from the San Jose Sharks at the NHL Entry Draft last June, in exchange for the 2026 No. 9 overall pick that Ottawa received from the Florida Panthers in a trade that shipped captain Brady Tkachuk to the Sunshine State.
Through four games with Ottawa, Eklund has a goal and an assist with nine shots. Now in his fourth season as a full-time NHLer, the Swedish winger has 51 goals and 114 assists for 165 points in 256 career games with the Senators and Sharks. He’s recorded at least 15 goals and 45 points in each of his first three full campaigns, including a career-high 58 in 2024-25.
Eklund, taken by the Sharks with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, also spent one season with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda, where he recorded 17 goals and 24 assists for 41 points in 54 games.
After his 2024-25 campaign, Eklund and the Sharks signed a three-year, $16.8-million contract with a cap hit of $5.6 million through the 2028-29 season.
