William Eklund sidelined indefinitely as Senators' supporting cast faces proving period

William Eklund was placed on injured reserve before Saturday's game against Nashville after injuring his left ankle during Thursday's season opener against Philadelphia. The Senators won that home opener 2-1, but Eklund's injury came early when he crashed into the boards while racing for the puck after a hit delivered by Philadelphia's Simon Benoit. He had to be helped off the ice in the first period.

Head coach Travis Green said Eklund would be out for "an extended period," and the winger will not require surgery. A two-month timeline means Eklund could potentially return before Christmas or even before the Senators' games in Germany against Chicago on December 18 and 20. On Monday—his 24th birthday—Eklund was seen moving around Canadian Tire Centre on a scooter to keep his left leg elevated, and missed the second straight game against New Jersey at Prudential Center.

The Senators acquired Eklund from San Jose in June along with the No. 9 overall draft pick, a move that saw captain Brady Tkachuk traded to Florida. General manager Steve Staios believed Eklund's speed and skill would complement Tim Stutzle. Now, with the team at 4-1-0 heading into Monday's game, Ottawa's supporting cast—including Drake Batherson, Michael Amadio, Shane Pinto, Nick Cousins and Claude Giroux, who all started strong—will need to maintain their pace. Players like Dylan Cozens, Ridly Greig, Warren Foegele, Fabian Zetterlund and Andre Burakovsky, who is expected to skate with Stutzle and Batherson, must produce more consistently. Foegele dropped to the fourth line after three games on the top line before moving back alongside Stutzle and Batherson against New Jersey.

The Senators finished 10th in NHL scoring last season. League executives acknowledge the challenge of mid-season roster adjustments: "It's hard to make a trade. There isn't a lot out there, especially right now. And the guys who are available are carrying big contracts, and there's a reason those teams want to move on from them." The 20-game mark is generally considered when general managers evaluate whether their rosters are working.