William Eklund’s absence is going to be longer than originally hoped. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reported that the Senators forward will be out 10-12 weeks after undergoing successful surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn tendon in his ankle.
Ottawa brought Eklund in this summer in a pre-draft deal with San Jose that included the ninth overall pick, and the young forward had already started to build on a strong NHL track record. After back-to-back seasons of more than 50 points, he opened this year with two points in four games before the injury stopped him in his tracks. For now, the Senators will have to wait a while before he can add to that total.
In Boston, Bruins center Pavel Zacha left last night’s game against Anaheim with what was described as an undisclosed injury, according to WEEI’s Scott McLaughlin. The issue came around the middle of the third period after a hit from Drew Helleson, and there was no update after the game on how serious it might be.
Zacha has put himself in position to be one of the top unrestricted free agent centers next summer if he does not re-sign first, coming off a breakout 65-point season. He has also gotten off to a solid start this year, with five points in eight games.
The Lightning’s Aiden Foster is also changing teams, though this move comes in the WHL rather than the NHL. Prince George announced it has sent the forward to Brandon in exchange for four draft picks.
Tampa Bay selected Foster in the fourth round in 2025, taking him 127th overall. Last season he put up 35 points and 113 penalty minutes in 65 games, and he has started this year with more offense, scoring five goals in four games before the trade.
Because he was drafted before the new CBA took effect, the Lightning have until June 1st to sign him or they will lose his rights. If he chooses the college route before then, though, those signing rights would be pushed back.
There’s also movement in Buffalo’s prospect pipeline. Sabres goalie prospect Topias Leinonen has been cleared after the lower-body injury he suffered in training camp, and AHL Rochester announced that Buffalo has loaned him there.
Leinonen, 22, was a second-round pick in 2022, going 41st overall. His first year in North America was interrupted by injuries and limited him to 15 games between Rochester and ECHL Jacksonville, with a save percentage below league average at both stops. Now healthy again, he’ll try to get things turned around, even if the missed time from camp makes that a tougher ask.
In Other News...
Crunch May Have Found A Needed Spark After Rough Start
After a rough opening stretch, Syracuse may have found a little life in Rochester. The Crunch trailed by two before turning things around at Upstate Medical University Arena, where Matteo Pietroniro, Sam O'Reilly, Jansen Harkins and Clark Bishop all scored in a 4-2 comeback over the Americans, and Mads Sogaard steadied the group in goal with a 15-save win.
There was extra significance in the scoring column, too, with O'Reilly breaking through for his first professional goal and Harkins and Bishop each finding the net for the first time with the Crunch. For a Tampa Bay affiliate trying to sort out its early-season footing, a rally like that can carry more weight than the two points alone, especially when a handful of new contributors suddenly start looking comfortable in key spots. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Finally Broke Through In A Game Vancouver Wouldn't Give Away
Kevin Lankinen gave Vancouver a fighting chance early, turning aside enough pressure to keep the Lightning from running away with the night and allowing the Canucks to stay within reach for much of the game. Tampa Bay still found a way to cash in, but it was not the kind of easy night that the scoreline might suggest, with the Canucks getting solid work in goal and several defensive efforts, including noticeable plays from Filip Hronek.
Even in defeat, Vancouver showed some effort in a game it could have let slip much earlier, which has been part of the problem during a rough stretch. The loss was another in a string of setbacks for a club trying to find its footing, and while the result stings, the performance at least suggested a group still competing rather than folding under the weight of the slide. [Read more 🡒]
Lightnings Hot Start Feels Real After Another Rally At Home
Another night at Amalie Arena, another reminder that this start by the Lightning might be built to last. Tampa Bay erased an early 2-0 hole and beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-2, pushing its home mark to 5-0 and its overall record to 6-2-0. Nikita Kucherov was central to the comeback with two goals, while Dennis Hildeby picked up his second win of the season in goal.
Ryan McDonagh also added a notable milestone in the background of the rally, continuing to pile up the kind of defensive work that has long made him a valuable piece of this roster. For a team that has looked comfortable at home and resilient when the game tilts against it, nights like this are starting to feel less like a hot streak and more like a pattern, even before every detail of the effort gets fully sorted out. [Read more 🡒]