VANCOUVER — The San Jose Sharks dominated the Vancouver Canucks in their building with a 5-2 win on Tuesday night.

It was just two seasons ago when the Sharks were in 32nd place, and the Canucks demolished them 10-1 at the SAP Center. Only Mario Ferraro and William Eklund remain on the roster from that game. Eklund told reporters following San Jose Sharks practice that he remembers that game.

“Yeah, I do remember. As you see, we think those times are in the past,” Eklund said. “I’m happy for that, because right now, I feel like we were having a step in the right direction every night, and it shows yesterday too.”

Eklund has become an essential part of the Sharks’ future. GM Mike Grier signed the Swedish winger to a three-year contract over the summer in what was his first move of retention for a core player. Now playing on the third line with Michael Misa, Eklund knows there’s more he and the rest of the team can build on.

“Going into season, you don’t really know what to expect, but you want to do as best as you can,” Eklund said. “I feel like off the ice, we’ve been a real close team, close group, and I think that’s a huge thing on the ice too. We’re having fun with each other, and that’s something that shows on the ice.

Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky was part of the coaching staff during the blowout loss in 2023. The culture he’s bringing is one in which he will recognize others before himself.

“I think a big thing is, the personnel has changed. Our youth helps our team. Our veterans help our team. There’s a good mix. There’s high character in the dressing room, there are good personalities. Guys are playing for one another. There’s a lot that goes under that umbrella, but that’s what happens in our rebuild,” Warsofsky said. “You say you get better as you go, and that’s what the whole philosophy behind it is.”

Warsofsky then gave a big shoutout to many San Jose Sharks front-office members and the entire core of the team.

“A lot of credit to Mike to bring in some high character players and good people and better players. We’ve gotten some uptick in play from, obviously, [Macklin Celebrini] and [Will Smith] and Eklund. [Tyler Toffoli has] done a really good job of being a veteran leader and helping us in different areas. [Dmitry] Orlov has been a really good addition,” Warsofsky said.

“I can go up and down our roster. I can name every guy that’s been extremely selfless and the way we need to do things. But also at the same time, we’ve challenged them to be better individually, and they’ve done that. They’ve taken that to heart, and they’ve been coachable. It hasn’t been perfect every single night, but we’ve made strides.”

Warsofsky has done a great job balancing praise for his young players while still seeking improvement beyond the success they’ve already achieved.

Warsofsky with the realness!@Real_Max_Miller: “Does your heart drop a little bit with Will Smith making those blind backhand passes to Macklin in the center?”

RW: “No, my heart drops when he turns over pucks at the blueline.”

(Warsofsky is right)

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 28, 2026

Eklund has rediscovered his joy of playing hockey. The San Jose Sharks winger told SHD that it is hard to describe without going through something like he and Ferraro did.

“Way more fun. It’s difficult to explain to someone who’s not in it and who has not gone through it,” Eklund said. “Those years were tough. Just being in this, seeing how we turned this around, it’s a great thing.”