William Eklund’s 5 best moments as a Shark – Hockey Writers – San Jose Sharks

Mike Grier, the general manager of the Sharks, impressed pundits who gave San Jose grades from A to A++ with his impressive first-round picks in the 2026 Draft. The Sharks selected second-rounder Ivar Stenberg, right tackle Keaton Verhoeff who went ninth out of North Dakota and swingman Ryan Lin who could be a top-two defenseman, if he improves his swing at 21. In order for Grier to have such a successful draft, he had to trade key assets for the pick that turned out to be Verhoeff.

That asset was winger William Eklund, who was traded with prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda to the Ottawa Senators for the ninth pick. That trade, along with the moves the Sharks made when free agency opened, effectively completed their rebuild by adding the last blue-chip prospects they needed to fix their organization’s biggest hole on defense.

Even though San Jose is well positioned for the future and competing for a playoff spot in 2026-27, it wasn’t easy for the fans to eat the fan favorite as a sacrifice. Eklund will trade in his black and red uniform next season in Ottawa, but Sharks fans will still appreciate him as the first piece that helped pull the franchise out of the abyss. Here are his five best moments as a Shark.

Hat Trick on Hat Day

Eklund completed his first career hat trick on April 6, 2024 against the St. Louis Blues at the SAP Center. It was only 18 of the 19 wins the Sharks would accumulate that season, securing a spot as the NHL’s worst team in 2023-24. A month later, they selected Macklin Celebrini with the overall pick of the draft.

Before selecting Celebrini, who has become one of the faces of the NHL, Sharks hockey was synonymous with not only losing, but also a huge humiliation. Eklund’s hat trick felt like the spark that meant San Jose could finally build momentum to end the ice shame it had defined for years.

Not only did he score his first hat trick, but he also scored all three goals in a 3-2 overtime victory. That moment was more than just a little player having a big game. The hats that Sharks fans throw on the ice, baseball caps and a free hat provided by a straw hat, indicate that the worst days of the franchise are now behind them. That OT goal against the Blues cemented Eklund as a fan favorite in San Jose. The way he works and the joy with which he plays quickly endeared him to the fans.

First Job Goal

On March 14, 2023, Eklund scored his first goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second half of a 6–5 OT loss.

Defenseman Derrick Pouliot’s shot was rebounded by Eklund, who put it back on his knees past Blue Jackets goaltender Daniil Tarasov to officially get on the NHL score sheet.

In a season where the Sharks won 22 games with few smiles, Eklund’s first goal was a highlight, especially since he was disappointed to be sent back to Sweden the year before after just nine NHL games where he recorded four assists. His fun-loving style of play was evident early in the midfielder’s career and helped him become a staple in the San Jose lineup.

Goal of the Year

The Sharks graduated from watching the last few years to a fun team that was slated to be televised in 2025-26, in large part because of Celebrini’s record-breaking performance. For a team on the rise that stayed in the finals race until the very end, they closed the year with an impressive streak that perfectly encapsulated their return to relevancy.

On March 12, 2026, the Sharks beat the Bruins in Boston 4-2, but the story of the night came from Eklund’s ridiculous goal in the third period. Sharks linebacker Sam Dickinson extended a cross ice pass to a Sweden midfielder who slipped under the Bruins’ defensive end line. Driving to the net, his first shot attempt bounced off the goalie’s pads, where Eklund hit the puck high-shelf in mid-air while diving.

Bobby Orr’s style goal in Boston deserves to be named goal of the year according to the NHL’s Top 10 Goals for 2025-26.

OT winner on Long Island

On December 5, 2023, the Sharks rallied from three goals down in the third period to defeat the New York Islanders 5-4 at UBS Arena. Tomas Hertl scored a hat trick, goalie Kaapo Kahkonen made 35 saves and Eklund buried the overtime winner with 4.3 seconds left.

Mikael Granlund rushed the defense down the stretch as the clock neared zero, sliding the puck behind him to Eklund, who stayed right at his waist. With precious seconds ticking off the clock, he fired a shot past Islander goaltender Ilya Sorokin.

Eklund’s heroics and progressive play have been a common theme in games where the Sharks have been fortunate.

Father’s Journey OT Winner

On January 7, 2026, the San Jose Sharks faced the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena in a game remembered for Celebrini’s late-game heroics, but Eklund’s finish should prove another highlight.

In overtime, Celebrini stole the puck from Alex Laferriere to create a 2-on-1 run. Still able to escape when the puck got stuck between the referee’s skirts, he recovered and entered the zone, slipped to Eklund who roofed Darcy Kuemper to win the game 4-3. As the players embraced the joy on the ice, the NBC Sports California telecast caught up with all the Sharks hi-fiving dads, who were in town for their annual dad tour.

These games show why Eklund was so popular when he was a Shark and why 72 will still be seen in large numbers at the SAP Center even though he is now a Senator. A tough player with a positive attitude and great work ethic made San Jose proud in an era when there was very little to be proud of on the ice.

The departure of Eklund, along with defenseman Mario Ferraro, now means that shockingly 23-year-old forward Collin Graf is the Sharks’ longest-tenured player. The NHL is a business, which means that sometimes teams have to let good players go. In this case, San Jose made a move that helped to improve their biggest organizational weakness, but at the cost of a beloved player to thank, to help the team usher in a new exciting era from the dark ages.