The Ottawa Senators have already had one injury scare this season when goaltender Linus Ullmark departed Monday’s contest and didn’t dress on Tuesday, but the good news for them is that he’s active for Thursday’s contest against the Philadelphia Flyers.
The bad news is that the Senators are now dealing with another major injury concern, and right now, it doesn’t appear as though this one will be resolved in a few days.
Forward William Eklund was crunched along the boards by Flyers defenseman William Eklund, and was unable to put any weight on his leg; he had to be helped off the ice by his teammates.
The Ottawa Senators Have Lost Forward William Eklund To Injury
Early in the first period of Thursday’s contest against the Flyers, Eklund was hit along the boards by Simon Benoit, and immediately fell to the ice while crying out in obvious pain.
As he was helped off the ice by his teammates, he was unable to put any weight on his leg. While there hasn’t been any official update from the Senators on his condition, he’s yet to return to the game and is likely finished for the remainder of the contest.
The Senators are already without several players because of injury, including Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub; right now, it appears as though Eklund has joined the list of walking wounded for Ottawa.
William Eklund Was Acquired By The Senators Over The Summer From San Jose
Eklund was selected in the first round (seventh overall pick) by the San Jose Sharks in the 2021 NHL Draft. After briefly appearing in the NHL as a rookie, he spent much of 2022-23 in the AHL before recording his first NHL goal. A shoulder injury ended his season early.
Eklund became a regular with San Jose in 2023-24, finishing with 16 goals and 49 points in 80 games. He improved to 17 goals and 58 points the following season before signing a three-year contract extension in July 2025.
In 2025-26, Eklund scored 15 goals and 53 points in 78 games despite missing time with a lower-body injury.
In late June 2026, the Sharks traded him to the Senators alongside forwards Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda in exchange for a first-round draft pick.
Senators’ William Eklund Suffers Gruesome Leg Injury