KANATA, Ont. – With shaggy blonde hair and a modest beard around his chin and cheeks, William Eklund is no longer the fresh-faced teenager expected to lead the San Jose Sharks into a more prosperous era.

Drafted seventh overall by the Sharks in 2021, Eklund immediately became the team’s top prospect as he injected hope into a downtrodden franchise. He played well enough to start the season in the NHL before being returned to his home country of Sweden after nine games.

Fast forward five years, and Eklund, after a trade from San Jose to Ottawa, not only looks a bit different but is in a new country with a new organization. With the Senators, he isn’t seen as the savior, but as someone who, once he’s healthy again, can contribute to an already deep and tenacious forward group.

“His playing style is great, and he fits perfectly in this group,” said Fabian Zetterlund, Eklund’s good friend now in his second full season with the Senators. “He’s fun to watch.”

Eklund is expected to be out several more weeks after recently undergoing surgery to repair torn tendons in his left ankle. Eklund sustained the injury during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 8 when defenseman Simon Benoit hit him against the boards.

Besides Thursday’s game between the Sharks and Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre, Eklund will also have to miss the Oct. 31 game between the two teams at SAP Center.

“I would like to be out there today, of course,” Eklund told a large group of reporters on Thursday in his first media availability since the injury. “But maybe the next time.”

After a year mostly in the AHL, Eklund’s first full year with the Sharks came during the 2023-24 season. He was the team’s second-leading scorer with 45 points in 80 games, then followed up the next season with 58 points in 77 games, setting career highs with 17 goals and 41 assists.

In both years, though, the Sharks lost far more than they won, and finished last in the NHL standings with a combined record of 39-104-21.

But with some young, talented pieces in place and Macklin Celebrini having a record-setting season, the Sharks started to emerge from their deep rebuild in 2025-26 and narrowly missed the playoffs.

Would it have been nice for Eklund to see it through with the Sharks?

“It’s a business,” Eklund said. “I was having really good years there. I appreciate everybody there. They took me into their city, and the fans took me in really well, and I appreciate all the guys and all the staff that had me there.

“Obviously, we’re going forward here. New team here. I’m happy here. So, I’m not going to go into that (any) further. But I (loved) my time in San Jose.”

A confluence of events led to Eklund’s departure.

Brady Tkachuk wanted out of Ottawa after eight seasons with the Senators and was traded to the Florida Panthers on June 21 for four draft picks, including the ninth overall pick in this year’s draft. Two days later, the Panthers shipped Eklund, winger Kasper Halttunen, and the rights to Brandon Svoboda to Ottawa for the No. 9 pick.

Sharks general manager Mike Grier wasn’t looking to trade Eklund, but in June said the deal with Senators GM Steve Staios “came together fairly quickly” after Ottawa moved Tkachuk.

The Sharks also fortuitously won the right to select No. 2 overall, meaning they would likely take whoever was available between Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg, wingers considered the top two available players.

Coming off wrist surgery to repair a laceration after an on-ice accident during a World Championship exhibition game, Eklund had 53 points in 78 games last season, and was about to enter the first year of a three-year, $16.8 million deal.

There was perhaps a perception, too, that Stenberg’s or McKenna’s production would be commensurate with Eklund’s, for a lower short-term price.

Shortly before Stenberg became a Shark, Grier sent Eklund to Ottawa.

Did Eklund have a sense about what was coming?

“My mind wasn’t there, to be honest,” Eklund said. “In the offseason, you’re just so focused on getting better (and working) to come back in good shape and be good when you go back. It wasn’t in my thought, really, so I can’t say yes or no for that.”

Did Eklund feel he needed to fill some of the void left by Tkachuk, Ottawa’s captain for five seasons, with 213 goals and 463 points in 572 games?

“We’re completely different players, first of all, and I’m just coming in here trying to do my thing and trying to bring the best game I can from San Jose to here,” Eklund said. “I think (I was) doing that in my first (four) games, and just kind of being my own player and being a great teammate.”

Reuniting with Zetterlund eased the transition, after the two became good friends during their three years as teammates in San Jose. Zetterlund was traded to Ottawa in March 2025 as part of the deal that brought center Zack Ostapchuk and a 2025 second-round pick (Cole McKinney) to San Jose.

Eklund was playing his fourth game with the Senators when the injury occurred. In the previous game, Eklund had a goal and an assist in a 5-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

“He stepped in right away and had no problem with that,” Zetterlund said. “He loves it here too, and unfortunately, can’t be out there with us. But he’s still in the locker room every day, and just you can see how hard (he’s working) to get back.”

Eklund wasn’t happy to see Zetterlund go, and wondered when the Sharks would stop selling off players at the trade deadline.

He now knows anything can happen, even to a player like him, once thought to be a future Sharks cornerstone.

“I’ve been in this league and learned how it works, and that it’s a business where anything can happen; everything is open.” Eklund said. “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, so we accept it.”