William Eklund Out Indefinitely as Senators Hit Early-Season Speed Bump

The Ottawa Senators are off to a surprisingly hot start, but the hockey gods always demand an early-season sacrifice. According to Daily Faceoff, winger William Eklund is out indefinitely with an ankle injury.

"Indefinitely" is the worst word in sports medicine. It could mean he is back on the ice by Thanksgiving, or it could mean his ankle is currently being held together by athletic tape and sheer willpower. Either way, it leaves a massive hole in the lineup.

"Daily Faceoff reports Eklund is out indefinitely with an ankle injury."

The timing is brutal for Ottawa. The Senators have been rolling, taking three of their first four games to open the October slate. They just grinded out a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers after already taking down the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins on the road.

Eklund is a key piece of the puzzle for a team trying to prove they are actually contenders and not just an early-season mirage. Losing your starting left winger right as the chemistry starts clicking is the kind of speed bump that tests a roster's actual depth.

For anyone looking at the puck line, this changes the math. Ottawa has been a reliable bet early on, but removing a top-six forward forces line shuffling that usually takes a few games to smooth out.

We will see how the Senators respond when they host the Nashville Predators next. Until Ottawa provides a real timeline, expect the forward group to be a nightly game of musical chairs.