OTTAWA — William Eklund was excited for October.
Eklund was healthy going into Ottawa Senators training camp, unlike the previous off-season with the San Jose Sharks, when he had suffered a scary wrist injury.
Looking ahead at the schedule, he was going to face the Sharks, the organization that made him the No. 7 pick in the 2021 Draft, twice, at Canadian Tire Centre and SAP Center, in the opening month of the season. The Sharks had traded Eklund in June, along with prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda, to the Senators for the No. 9 pick of the 2026 Draft.
The New York Islanders and younger brother Victor were also coming through Ottawa for the first Eklund “Bowl”.
But on Oct. 8, just four games into the new season, Eklund suffered an ugly-looking ankle injury.
“S*** happens,” Eklund said.
He’s out 10-12 weeks after ankle surgery.
So wait ‘til next year (to face the San Jose Sharks)?
Eklund spoke on Thursday morning about getting traded, how the Sharks trading Fabian Zetterlund taught him about the business side of hockey, and if there’s any frustration after another serious injury.
Eklund, on his injury:
Obviously, didn’t want to be injured, but s*** happens in this game. Try to recover as fast as I can. You play the game, it’s such a fast game out there. Things like this happen, you get frustrated for sure, but right now it’s just about recovery.
Eklund, on watching Ottawa beat the Panthers in Brady Tkachuk’s return:
Great. They played really good out there, proud of them. It was pretty special, obviously, it was pretty cool to see these fans go like that. It was really cool.
Eklund, on whether he was surprised by the San Jose Sharks trading him after signing an extension:
I can’t say I’m surprised, yes or no. Obviously, it’s a business out there, we all know that, we’re all part of this game. Of course, there’s a chance it can happen and now it happened. But I’m really happy that I’m here, in Ottawa. We have a great team here.
Eklund, on Fabian Zetterlund’s reaction to the trade:
He was happy. I called him pretty much right away, he was happy with that, we enjoy spending time together.
Eklund, on feeling healthy before his injury:
It felt great. Obviously, I haven’t had that in a while, I feel like the full summer helped me a lot. I felt really good coming into training camp, good in the first couple of games here. It makes it even more frustrating, but it’s part of the game. You just have to be mentally in it, so trying to do my best here.
Eklund, on the whiplash of getting news of the trade, but it’s to Ottawa and with best friend Zetterlund:
It’s my first time getting traded, so you get shocked at first. When I heard it was Ottawa, I’ve heard only good things about this group. Right now, as you can tell, it’s very true. It’s a big family in there. We care a lot about each other. I felt great coming here.
Eklund, on the closeness of the Ottawa locker room:
We have really good depth in our group. Overall, we’re playing really good hockey and we stand up for each other. We play good hockey.
Eklund, on catching up with his former San Jose Sharks teammates:
I’ll talk with them a little bit, catch up a little bit. Saw Wenny yesterday a little bit. Good group of guys in there too.
Eklund, on watching his brother Victor succeed with the New York Islanders:
For sure. I know he’s been working really hard for it, this summer was the hardest work I’ve ever seen him. Extremely proud of him, doing really good things out there. I’m happy for him to be in the NHL.
Eklund, on his injury timeline:
I’m recovering. Timeline wise, I’m not going to go into that, it’s not a question for me. I’m trying to do my best everyday to get back with the guys.
Eklund, on his disappointment leaving San Jose after several years with the Sharks:
It’s a business. I had really good years there, I appreciate everybody there. They took me into that city, the fans took me in really good. I appreciate all the guys, all the staff that had me there. We’re going forward here, new team here, I’m happy here. I’m not going to go into it more further than that, but I’m happy with my time in San Jose.
Eklund, on whether the Sharks moving up in the draft lottery affected his outlook, that they might draft fellow winger Ivar Stenberg:
My mind wasn’t there, to be honest. In the offseason, you’re just so focused on getting better yourself, getting better to come back in good shape and be good when you go back. It wasn’t in my thoughts really, so I can’t say yes or no for that.
Eklund, on finding his own role in Ottawa and being compared to Brady Tkachuk’s production:
We’re completely different players, first of all. I’m just coming in here trying to do my thing and bring the best game I can from San Jose to here. I think I’ve been doing that in my first games, just kind of be my own player and be a great teammate. Go out there and do the best I can for the team.
Eklund, on the disappointment of missing the chance to face the Sharks today:
Yes, it is. I’d like to be out there today. But, next time.
Eklund, on Zetterlund’s trade teaching him about the business of the game:
You learn as a younger player, in this league how it works, that it’s a business and everything can happen, everything is open. That was probably the first eye-opening moment for me, and now you kind of know how it is and you accept it. We’re all players and we accept it.
Eklund, on if there’s any frustration from having another serious injury:
I haven’t missed games at the NHL level [because of my injuries]. This is the first time I’ve missed games in the NHL. That part sucks, because when you’re [hurt] in the off-season, you can still get back and play with the guys. But now, not being there in the locker room and being out there on the ice with the boys is the most frustrating part. I’m just happy that they won yesterday, wishing them success here.
Eklund, on missing anticipated games against San Jose and his brother Victor this month:
You can’t really control this stuff. I would love to do that, when the schedule came out these were games you wanted to play and it sucks a little, but now we’re here and I’ve got to accept it. It is what it is.
Eklund, on a potential Sharks-Senators 2029 Stanley Cup Final:
I would love that. Yeah, I would love that.
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