OTTAWA — William Eklund is no longer with the San Jose Sharks, and although he enjoyed his time there, he is happy to be with the Ottawa Senators.

The former Sharks forward is currently dealing with a major ankle injury that will keep him sidelined for an extended period. Thursday was also the first time the winger met with reporters since his injury to provide an update on his status.

“Obviously, didn’t want to be injured. Sh*t happens in this game, and I’ll try to recover as fast as I can,” Eklund said Thursday morning. “You play the game. It’s such a fast game out there. Things like this happen, and you get frustrated for sure. But right now, it’s just about recovery.”

SHD spotted Eklund during the Senators game on Wednesday and briefly chatted with the winger exclusively. Although the conversation was off the record, Eklund remains in high spirits and is excited to start rehab.

Was walking down a hallway up here and was able to see William Eklund. He’s still in his scooter. He’s in good spirits. Sounds like we’ll get a chance to speak to him officially tomorrow morning, but good to see him regardless. Was always one of my favs in the #SJSharks room

— Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) October 22, 2026

So what did Eklund think of being traded from the San Jose Sharks? Like any NHLer, he knows the sport is also a business, and there’s always a chance he could be traded.

“Can’t say I’m surprised, yes or no. Obviously it’s a business. We all know that; we’re all part of this game. Of course, there’s a chance it happens, and now it happened,” Eklund said. “But I’m really happy that I’m here in Ottawa. We have a great team here.”

One bonus of the San Jose Sharks trading Eklund to the Senators is that he gets to rejoin his best friend, Fabian Zetterlund. While the two didn’t know each other before they played for the Sharks, they’ve been close ever since.

“He was happy. I called him pretty much right away,” Eklund said with a big smile. “He was happy with that, and we enjoy spending time together.”

Eklund was emotional when the Sharks dealt Zetterlund to the Senators, and that experience helped prepare him for his trade.

“I think it was. I’ve been in this league and learned how it works, and that it’s a business where everything can happen. Everything is open. And that was probably the first eye-opening moment for me,” Eklund said. “Now you know how it is, and you accept it.”

While Eklund found happiness in being dealt to Ottawa, the trade still caught him off guard. After all, the Sharks had signed him to a three-year extension during the 2025 off-season.

“It’s my first time getting traded, so I was a bit shocked at first. When I heard it was Ottawa, I’d heard only good things about this group. And right now, I can tell it’s very true,” he said. “It’s a big family in there. We care a lot about each other, and I felt great coming here.”

That’s not to say the San Jose Sharks didn’t feel like a family either. While answering another reporter’s question, Tyler Toffoli walked by the scrum and interrupted, yelling “Hey, Bub!” at Eklund. The winger then responded, “Hey Bub!”

Eklund appreciated his time with the Sharks; that is no secret. He was just a teen when he moved from Sweden to North America.

“Like I said before, it’s a business. I had good years there, [and] I appreciate everybody there. They took me into that city, and the fans took me in really well, and I appreciate all the guys and all the staff that had me there,” Eklund said. “Obviously, going forward here. New team. I’m happy here. I’m not gonna go into that further than that, but I’m happy with my time in San Jose.”

While Eklund won’t play the Sharks at any point this season, he’s excited to get back on the ice with his teammates as soon as possible. The Senators visit the Sharks on Halloween.

“Can’t really control this stuff. I would love to do that. Obviously, when the schedule comes out, these are games you want to play, and it sucks a little bit. But now we’re here, and I gotta accept it. So it is what it is.”

The former Sharks forward is still using a scooter to keep his left leg/foot in the air and supported.