We all held our breath as Sharks young star William Eklund suffered a scary injury yesterday in a pre-tournament game at the World Championships against Czechia.
When Eklund was battling in the corner against Flames prospect Samual Honzak, Honzak lost his balance, and his skate caught Eklund in the wrist. Eklund immediately left the ice and was taken to the local hospital for further evaluation.
Eklund's agent Todd Diamond shared an encouraging update to San Jose Hockey Now's Sheng Peng.
Thankfully, Eklund appears to have avoided the worst, as no nerves or ligaments were damaged. However, he will still be further evaluated over the coming days. Eklund posted on his Instagram that he was ok and thanked everybody for their support.
Unfortunately, this injury could put Eklund in jeopardy of missing the rest of the World Championships. Eklund had a breakout season this year, putting up 17 goals and 58 points in 77 games for the Sharks in his sophomore campaign. A good tournament at the World Championships would make a strong impression on the selection process for the 2026 Olympics in Milan. In addition to the tournament being in his home country, this is terrible timing for the young star, but it is all secondary to his health and well-being.
Eklund’s health is paramount, and it’s promising that he seems to have avoided the worst. Laceration injuries can be severe and can be career-altering, if not life-threatening, in some cases. I wish Eklund all the best in his recovery.