SAN JOSE – San Jose Sharks basic supervisor Mike Grier mentioned Monday that ahead William Eklund is doing effectively after present process surgical procedure on his left wrist that was reduce by an opponent’s skate blade in an exhibition sport over the weekend.
Eklund is now recovering from the inadvertent reduce throughout a tune-up sport between Sweden and the Czech Republic on Saturday prematurely of the IIHF World Championships, which start later this week with Eklund’s hometown of Stockholm being a co-host.
Grier mentioned Eklund had exploratory surgical procedure on Monday in Stockholm and “came out of it well,” however is not going to play within the Worlds. Grier couldn’t say whether or not Eklund shall be totally healed quickly sufficient to permit him to undergo his regular offseason coaching routine.
“I think he’s doing OK,” Grier mentioned of Eklund. “Obviously got a little bit of a scare, but I think he lucked out, and we lucked out that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.”
Eklund is getting into the ultimate yr of his entry-level contract, and Grier wouldn’t rule out attempting to signal Eklund to a contract extension this summer season.
Eklund is eligible to signal an extension on July 1. He signed his three-year entry-level contract in Aug. 2021, shortly after he was drafted seventh general by San Jose, then spent many of the 2021-2022 season with Djurgårdens of the Swedish Hockey League.
Eklund performed many of the 2022-23 season with the Barracuda earlier than he turned a full-time NHL participant in 2023-24.
Grier mentioned he met briefly with Eklund’s agent, Todd Diamond, in Dallas final week to get an early sense of what the Swedish-born ahead is perhaps in search of in his subsequent deal.
The Sharks might signal Eklund to a long-term deal, probably for eight years, and make him one of many group’s highest-paid forwards. Or they may really feel extra comfy with a two- or three-year bridge deal, laying aside a serious payday till the NHL’s wage cap is effectively over $100 million.
The cap was $88 million this season and will improve to $113.5 million in 2027-28.
A brand new collective bargaining settlement between the league and the NHL Gamers’ Affiliation might additionally set new contract parameters. The present CBA expires on Sept. 15, 2026, and talks between the 2 sides on a brand new deal have already begun.
“I think everything’s probably on the table,” Grier mentioned Monday a couple of contract for Eklund. “It was a good conversation (with Eklund’s agent). It was brief, but it was nice. So, I don’t think we really know which route or which way we’re going to go, but (an extension) is probably something that’s on our radar.”
Along with his ELC carrying a $863,333 cap hit, Eklund is due for a major elevate both means.
Eklund completed this season because the Sharks’ second-leading scorer with 58 factors, together with 17 targets in 77 video games. Over three years, Eklund has 110 factors in 174 NHL video games for a .63 factors per sport common.
Calgary Flames winger Matt Coronato, who had 24 targets this previous season and has 56 factors and 112 profession NHL video games, would have been a restricted free agent this summer season. As a substitute, the 22-year-old Harvard alum and the Flames signed a seven-year, $45 million contract extension on Saturday that carries a $6.5 million cap hit and goes by the 2031-32 season.
Seattle Kraken heart Matty Beniers, additionally 22 years previous and drafted 5 spots forward of Eklund in 2021, simply completed the primary yr of a seven-year, $50 million deal.
In his first three NHL seasons, Beniers, who gained the Calder Trophy because the NHL’s finest rookie in 2023, had 103 factors in 167 video games, a factors per sport common barely lower than Eklund’s.
Requested in April, a day after the Sharks’ season ended, if he’d prefer to signal an extension this summer season, Eklund mentioned, “I’m not going to go into that right now. Season just ended, but obviously, I want to be here.”
Initially Printed: Might 5, 2025 at 8:45 PM PDT
