Sharks Re-Sign Eklund With Big Raise

The San Jose Sharks require a lot of money to reach the cap floor, so it was expected that the team would spend as much as they could, whether it be extensions, new signings, or trades. They kick off their action by re-signing William Eklund to a three-year, $5.6 million AAV deal.

William Eklund signs a three-year extension with #SJSharks carrying a $5.6M AAV.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 1, 2025

The only thing about extending Eklund is that he still has one year left on his entry-level deal and this cap hit doesn’t kick in until 2026. Regardless, the Sharks avoid any stress in signing Eklund at a later date and also get him at a solid AAV before he potentially takes another big step.

Eklund is just 22 years old and scored 17 goals and 58 points in 77 games in 2024-25. He is part of that good, young core in San Jose that also includes Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Michael Misa up front.

Eklund finished fourth on the Sharks in goals, but second to only Celebrini in points. He should remain a winger with the young center depth that the Sharks now have, but Eklund has high skill and will be a major player. While San Jose isn’t worried about overpaying players now, Eklund will likely require a significant raise after his three-year deal is up.

Eklund is going to be a big part in San Jose taking that next step out of the basement of the league, but I don’t think it comes just yet. I can see the young winger jumping up to 20 goals and 65 points next season.

Photo credit: © Sergei Belski-Imagn Images