Eklund skated in nine games with the Sharks to begin the season, collecting four assists. San Jose selected the 19-year-old with the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
"This was one of the toughest decisions we have had to make," general manager Doug Wilson said. "William's tremendous skill and vision have been evident since his participation in our rookie tournament in September. In his nine NHL games as a teenager, he has shown that he is going to be a special player in this league, but ultimately, we feel it is in the best interest of his long-term development to return to Sweden and continue to work on becoming the dominant player we know he can be."
Eklund played with Djurgardens the past two seasons, recording 11 goals and 23 points over 40 games during the 2020-21 campaign.
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price will rejoin the club Monday after spending the last month in the NHL's player assistance program, head coach Dominique Ducharme confirmed Friday.
Ducharme added that Price will meet with athletic trainers Monday to develop a plan moving forward as he gets ready to return to the crease. It's unknown how much more time he'll need to get game-ready. Price was also recovering from offseason knee surgery prior to the program.
The 34-year-old entered the program voluntarily on Oct. 7 and was expected to come back after completing the minimum 30 days in it.
Price returned to his MVP form during the playoffs last season, leading the Canadiens to an improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final. He posted a .924 save percentage over 22 games during the postseason after putting up a .901 save percentage during the regular season.
Friday marks 10 days since the law firm Jenner & Block released a report on its investigation into how the 2009-10 Chicago Blackhawks mishandled and covered up sexual misconduct allegations against ex-video coach Brad Aldrich.
In that time, Kyle Beach revealed himself as "John Doe" in an emotional interview with TSN; Blackhawks executives Stan Bowman and Al MacIsaac left the club; the NHL fined the Blackhawks $2 million; former Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville resigned from his job with the Florida Panthers; the NHL cleared former Blackhawks assistant GM Kevin Cheveldayoff of any responsibility on the matter; Aldrich's name was removed from the Stanley Cup; and the NHLPA announced it's conducting an internal investigation of its own handling of the matter.
This story and its various subplots aren't going away any time soon.
Here are seven key questions that remain unanswered:
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1. What will the NHLPA's internal investigation reveal about executive director Donald Fehr's supposed inaction over the past 11 years? Fehr, based on Jenner & Block's investigation, appears to have known about the allegations against Aldrich around 2010 but failed to act. He could be forced to resign.
2. Will former Blackhawks president John McDonough accept blame for his poor leadership? McDonough is believed to be the highest-ranking member of the Blackhawks front office who knew about the allegations against Aldrich back in 2010. Bowman, for one, blamed McDonough in his statement. Yet McDonough hasn't spoken about the scandal in any public forum. It's unlikely he will until it's clear whether the Blackhawks plan to sue him.
3. Will we get an outcome from the investigation into Bill Peters? Two years ago, former players Akim Aliu and Michal Jordan accused Peters, the Blackhawks' AHL coach in 2009-10, of racist and abusive behavior. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said earlier this week the investigation had concluded and the parties contacted. Aliu's lawyer stated that it's "news to me and not true."
4. Will the Blackhawks offer Beach a satisfactory settlement? All of this public scrutiny of the Blackhawks began in May when Beach and "John Doe 2" filed lawsuits against the team. Beach's lawyer and the Blackhawks' lawyers had a "respectful and cordial" meeting earlier this week, which is promising.
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5. Will the NHL compensate "John Doe 2" in any way? Beach's lawyer, Susan Loggans, is also representing the former Michigan high school hockey player who had been assaulted by Aldrich following his Blackhawks tenure. When asked whether the NHL owed him any consideration this week, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman wouldn't commit to covering the same counseling costs the league had promised Beach.
6. Will an active NHL player finally admit to being aware of the allegations in 2010? There's been a divide among the responses to questions between active NHLers and retired or European-based players. The active players, such as Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Duncan Keith, have essentially claimed innocence, while Brent Sopel (retired) and Shawn Lalonde (Europe) are among those who have said that virtually everybody around the team at least vaguely knew about the allegations.
7. Will Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz and CEO Danny Wirtz ever fully explain themselves? Credit to the Wirtz family for not standing in the way of a thorough investigation and for making its findings public. However, unlike Bettman and Daly and others tangentially involved in this scandal, neither the owner nor the CEO have taken questions from the media. The Block & Jenner report found that the Wirtzes were not aware of the allegations but as the one at the top of the organizational hierarchy, their fans deserve to hear from them.
Unpacking Ovechkin's start
It's rare for Alex Ovechkin to shock us these days. We've watched him terrorize goalies for too long to consider most of what he does to be outlandish.
Yet Ovechkin, in his 17th NHL season and at the ripe age of 36 years old, is off to an attention-grabbing start to the season with 10 goals in 10 games. Which prompts the question: Is Ovi doing something different to maintain this incredible pace?
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Checking on the Capitals sniper's shot profile is a good place to start ...
Ovechkin, with 4.8 shots on goal per game, is shooting for volume at a typical rate. He's getting roughly 57% of his shot attempts on target, a rate also comparable to his career average. His shooting percentage, on the other hand, has ballooned to 20.8% from his career average of 12.8%. This uptick suggests he may be benefiting from some puck luck to start the season.
Then again, maybe we should expect Ovechkin to score on a higher percentage of his shots this year (OK, maybe not 21%, but 15% is realistic). After all, he's starting 85.9% of his shifts in the offensive zone, a career high by a significant margin. If Ovechkin's line, with Evgeni Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson, is consistently starting in the O-zone, he will naturally exert his early-shift energy on trying to score a goal.
Ovechkin is not only getting a head start territorially, but he's also playing 21 minutes and 28 seconds a night, which stands as his highest average TOI since 2009-10. The increase is mostly from the power play, where Ovechkin's been hanging out in the Ovi Spot for roughly one additional minute per night.
So, to recap, the changes are subtle and some of what Ovechkin's doing is unsustainable. But one variable (deployment and ice time) is notable.
Regardless, Ovechkin has inched closer to Wayne Gretzky's all-time record for goals scored with this start. He's up to 740, so if he hits 50 in 2021-22, he'll be at 780 - or 114 behind The Great One. He's within striking distance.
Canada's goalie puzzle
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According to reports, Carey Price, Marc-Andre Fleury, Darcy Kuemper, Jordan Binnington, Carter Hart, and Mackenzie Blackwood are the goalies on Hockey Canada's "long list" for the Olympics, which are just three months away.
Relative to other medal contenders - namely Russia and the U.S. - Canada lacks both star power and depth between the pipes. Heck, only four of their six options have appeared in an NHL game this season, with the Canadiens' Price in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program (he's rejoining the team on Monday) and the Devils' Blackwood out with an injury.
Among the four active guys, there's a clear divide in performance in the early going. Small sample size alert, but Binnington (Blues) and Hart (Flyers) have significantly outplayed Fleury (Blackhawks) and Kuemper (Avalanche):
There's still time for Kuemper and Fleury - last year's Vezina Trophy winner - to rebound and earn a starting or backup role on Team Canada. Same goes for 2014 Olympic starter Price, assuming he gets in enough games before final Olympic rosters are due.
Right now, though, the three goalie spots are too difficult to project. Binnington and Hart, for how good they've been lately, simply haven't been consistent enough in their young careers to automatically warrant a spot.
Generally speaking, Team Canada GM Doug Armstrong must determine whether it's best to favor the hot hand or the proven veteran. Perhaps he plays it down the middle and mixes the hot hand with the vets.
Sizing up D-men contracts
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Earlier this week, Adam Fox became the seventh defenseman since late July to sign a long-term deal with an average annual value of $9 million or higher.
This rush of contracts completely reset the market for elite D-men. It also makes it easier to compare these blue-liners (who are all 28 or under) in both serious and trivial ways. In the spirit of the latter, let's have a little fun by assigning a high school yearbook-style superlative to each new contract.
Cale Makar at 6 years, $9-million AAV: Most Likely To Cash In Big (Again). Already elite of the elite at 23. Deal takes him straight to unrestricted free agency.
Dougie Hamilton at 7 years x $9M: Most Likely To Look Overpaid in Years 6 and 7. Just the nature of aging curves. Will be 35 when the deal expires in 2028.
Darnell Nurse at 8 years x $9.3M: Most Likely To Play The Most Minutes. Workhorse quality to him and Oilers tend to rely heavily on its big-ticket stars.
Seth Jones at 8 years x $9.5M: Most Likely To Regret His Decision. Honestly, given the horrid start to Chicago's season, this superlative may already apply.
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Charlie McAvoy at 8 years x $9.5M: Most Likely To Grow Into Fat AAV. Hefty price tag now but the dominant five-on-five player has Norris Trophy in the future.
Adam Fox at 7 years x $9.5M: Most Likely To Look Underpaid Sooner Than Later. Reigning Norris winner. Only 24. May win it again, perhaps this season.
Zach Werenski at 6 years x $9.6M: Most Likely To Remain Team's Highest Paid Player Throughout Term. Blue Jackets don't typically pony up in negotiations with stars and there are no obvious eight-digit paydays coming down the pike.
3 parting thoughts
Carolina Hurricanes: The Bunch of Jerks remain undefeated. On Saturday, Carolina has a chance to tie an NHL record for best start in NHL history. A win over the Panthers, who are 9-0-1 themselves, would improve their record to 10-0-0. The 1993-94 Maple Leafs and 2006-07 Sabres both came out of the gate with 10-game winning streaks. I say the 'Canes win at least 11 in a row.
Detroit Red Wings: Heading into Friday's games, Detroit Red Wings newbies Lucas Raymond (10 points) and Moritz Seider (nine points) sit first and second in rookie scoring. The last time teammates finished atop the leaderboard was way back in 2001-02, when the dynamic duo of Dany Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk debuted for the Atlanta Thrashers. The future's bright in Detroit.
Arizona Coyotes: Based on how thoroughly GM Bill Armstrong has gutted an already-mediocre roster, we knew the Coyotes could be unwatchable this year. But we didn't imagine them recording one measly point through 10 games. The 0-9-1 squad has dug itself a hole so deep that the 2016-17 Avalanche (48 points in 82 games) suddenly look half decent.
Just tonight Patrice Bergeron has scored 31% of the goals the Arizona Coyotes have scored in 10 games
Tkachuk is the team's first captain since Erik Karlsson donned the "C" in 2018.
"Brady personifies leadership," team owner Eugene Melnyk said in a statement. "While on the ice, he craves winning and commands respect. Off of it, he routinely sets a good example for his teammates and carries himself with a combination of confidence and dignity. He's deserving of this next step in his career. We're proud to bestow the honor of being the team's 10th captain upon him."
Tkachuk recently inked a seven-year, $57.5-million extension with the Senators. The 22-year-old was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.
The team's leadership group includes Thomas Chabot as a full-time alternate and Connor Brown, Nick Paul, and Nikita Zaitsev as a rotating group of alternates.
"Brady's ingrained understanding of what it means to be a pro has made him the right choice for the team's captaincy," general manager Pierre Dorion said. "He holds a unique skill set and places team success above all else. Admired by teammates and coaches, and respected by opponents, he's certain to serve as a great ambassador for both our team and for the city of Ottawa."
Tkachuk has scored 62 goals and added 67 assists in 205 career games with the Senators.
Tavares also shared his thoughts on the hit during the first intermission.
"I thought it was dirty," Tavares told TSN's Mark Masters. "Clips him right in the head. Just want to go in there and be there for my teammate. I just didn't like the hit."
Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe is confident the league will at least consider disciplining Sergachev.
"I'm sure the league is going to look at it," Keefe said postgame, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox.
Sergachev was remorseful about the play, as Marner said he apologized for the hit.
The NHLPA executive board has voted in favor of conducting an independent review into the union's response to the sexual assault allegations Kyle Beach made toward then-Chicago Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010.
NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr, who's held that position since 2010, recommended conducting the independent investigation on Monday.
Beach never suited up in an NHL regular season or playoff game, but he had NHLPA membership since he was a Black Ace for the Blackhawks during their 2010 Stanley Cup run.
Fehr was contacted on two occasions about the allegations against Aldrich, according to law firm Jenner & Block's 107-page report, published Oct. 26. He told investigators he couldn't recall either conversation but didn't deny they happened.
As part of an Oct. 27 interview with TSN, where he identified himself as the "John Doe" in the lawsuit, Beach said he had reported all details to the NHLPA.
"I know I reported every single detail to an individual at the NHLPA, who I was put in contact with after. I believe two different people talked to Don Fehr," Beach said.
"And for him to turn his back on the players when his one job is to protect the players at all costs, I don't know how that can be your leader. I don't know how he can be in charge."
There were no talks about removing Fehr from his job as executive director during Monday's conference call, which featured roughly 80 players and lasted over two hours, per ESPN's Emily Kaplan.
When the Buffalo Sabres selected Jack Eichel second overall in the 2015 draft, failing to finish outside of the bottom 10 in the league and missing the playoffs for six straight seasons couldn't have been what the team had in mind for the superstar's tenure.
It certainly isn't what the 25-year-old envisioned for himself or the fanbase.
"I can't say enough good things about the fans here. They love hockey, they deserve a winner. I feel bad that I wasn't able to contribute more to winning here, but they deserve it all," the former Sabres captain said in an interview with ESPN's John Buccigross. "I really, truly care a lot about the fans here in Buffalo."
Eichel's frustrating stint as the face of the Sabres came to a close on Thursday. He's headed to Sin City following a blockbuster trade with the Vegas Golden Knights.
The past couple months in Buffalo were especially contentious. Both sides were unable to agree on a type of surgery to repair the herniated disc in Eichel's neck, which has kept him sidelined since March, and rumors about the center's future began to swirl.
"It's been tough since I got hurt. It just seems like things haven't really went my way, and that's fine, people deal with adversity, and this is no different," he said. "It's definitely been a long process. ... Just a lot of drama that you donβt really want to deal with. I guess you just learn to.
"I'm just happy to be on the other side of it. I'm happy to be moving on."
The Golden Knights have announced Eichel will undergo artificial disc replacement surgery, which is his preferred procedure. The club estimates he will miss about three to five months.
"I really appreciate the Vegas Golden Knights organization for giving me the opportunity to move forward with what I want to do and just get back to playing hockey and doing what I love," Eichel said.
Eichel added that he's "not sure" if he would've stayed with the Sabres even if they did let him get his desired surgery.
"We obviously changed management in 2020. It just seemed like we were heading towards another, I don't want to say 'rebuild,' we weren't really in a position that we were going to try and go win," he said in an interview with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
"I went to the team and said I wasn't really happy with the idea of that, and if that's the route they wanted to take, that maybe it would be better to move me.
"Obviously, that didn't go over well. I'm a competitor, I want to win, we obviously hadn't won."
Eichel pointed to Taylor Hall's offseason addition in 2020 as a move that got him "excited" about the team again. However, Buffalo ultimately fell short once more during the 2020-21 campaign, which the star forward said was a "disaster" for him personally.
Vegas has struggled with injuries to start the year and currently holds a 4-5-0 record. The Golden Knights have made the playoffs in each of their first four seasons so far.
