C/LW William Eklund - San Jose Sharks, NHL (2021, 7th, SJS)

[VictorLustig]

If multiple teams at top of draft see him as a center I think he has a chance to be first F off board.

I don't think teams will view him as a center.

 

[mattihp]

If he has fimpen's tenacity he could really be something.

 

[Pavels Dog]

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

IQ is so good.

 

[Baaaaaaaaaaaaah]

How any draft lists have this kid under top 7 is beyond me. Yet some have him as low as 20????

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

How any draft lists have this kid under top 7 is beyond me. Yet some have him as low as 20????

I'd bet money he's a top 5 pick come draft day. He's just too talented and too smart. Eklund will probably spend the first season or two in the NHL as a W then convert over to C, but he absolutely projects as a C.

 

[TorontoMedia]

I’m pretty sure earlier on in the thread I watched him play twice on proclaimed he would go top 10, everyone disagrees. Maybe I should be a scout...

 

[VictorLustig]

I wouldn't be surprised to see him go outside the top 10. I think he will be a good player, realistically something in the Arvidsson/Nyquist/Bratt mold. Perhaps better.

 

[John Mandalorian]

I'd bet money he's a top 5 pick come draft day. He's just too talented and too smart. Eklund will probably spend the first season or two in the NHL as a W then convert over to C, but he absolutely projects as a C.

To me, he and Kent Johnson are neck and neck. Both see the ice so well and can score or set others up. Johnson has a larger frame and is maybe more of a traditional center but Eklund has such sublime skating to create time and space.

 

[Baaaaaaaaaaaaah]

How any draft lists have this kid under top 7 is beyond me. Yet some have him as low as 20????

Depending on lottery, I would even see him go #1 to certain teams.

I believe Pronman or Blackbook has him there already.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

I'd bet money he's a top 5 pick come draft day. He's just too talented and too smart. Eklund will probably spend the first season or two in the NHL as a W then convert over to C, but he absolutely projects as a C.

Just stirring the pot, but Wennberg, he kinda reminds me of him.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Just stirring the pot, but Wennberg, he kinda reminds me of him.

Ick. I think that's selling Eklund way short. I'm not sure what Wennberg's problem has been, but that guy outside of his contract year was a total underachiever.

 

[theslatcher]

Goal #9.

 

[theslatcher]

Assist #9.

 

[kilowatt]

Sheesh this kid is gonna be good. I have a feeling he's going to drop a bit like Lundell did and teams will be wishing they had taken him.

 

[Baaaaaaaaaaaaah]

I don’t think he will drop too far. This draft isn’t strong enough or scouted enough for that to happen.

 

[TheMule93]

 

[wasunder]

He's looking more and more like a contender for the 1st overall spot. It's an interesting draft since that spot is wide open. I truly believe Eklund will go top 5 and be in the running for that 1st spot.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Will be interesting to see how this draft shakes out. The one thing that I’ve thought about Eklund is that he looks like he could play center, which could help his draft stock of teams also see this.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Will be interesting to see how this draft shakes out. The one thing that I’ve thought about Eklund is that he looks like he could play center, which could help his draft stock of teams also see this.

He's a natural center that's playing wing in the SHL due to age and physical maturity, kind of like how Stutzle was W in the DEL but played center at the WJC. He'll make the shift to center.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He's a natural center that's playing wing in the SHL due to age and physical maturity, kind of like how Stutzle was W in the DEL but played center at the WJC. He'll make the shift to center.

Being a natural center doesn’t mean he projects as a center in the NHL. I believe he hasn’t played center since junior club hockey, and doesn’t play it for Swedish junior national teams either. He probably has a chance to play it in the NHL, but I wouldn’t be so sure he’s a center in the NHL just because it’s his natural position. Some natural centers simply can’t play the position in the NHL.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Being a natural center doesn’t mean he projects as a center in the NHL. I believe he hasn’t played center since junior club hockey, and doesn’t play it for Swedish junior national teams either. He probably has a chance to play it in the NHL, but I wouldn’t be so sure he’s a center in the NHL just because it’s his natural position. Some natural centers simply can’t play the position in the NHL.

Before the covid issue he was slated to play center for Sweden at this past WJC.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Before the covid issue he was slated to play center for Sweden at this past WJC.

Was he? I think that was more what fans wanted and less likely to play out in that way.

 

[theslatcher]

Being a natural center doesn’t mean he projects as a center in the NHL. I believe he hasn’t played center since junior club hockey, and doesn’t play it for Swedish junior national teams either. He probably has a chance to play it in the NHL, but I wouldn’t be so sure he’s a center in the NHL just because it’s his natural position. Some natural centers simply can’t play the position in the NHL.

Where a player plays in the SHL and especially internationally for Sweden doesn't really matter much. Pettersson is the prime example. Zibanejad played on the wing internationally, too. Is Eklund capable of playing center? Yeah, I'd argue he very much should play center for Djurgården right now, with their 2 best centers away they're entrusting the center position to a snickers bar and a tuna, moving Eklund to the wing would give Djurgården 1 good line instead of 1 competent line(aka. Eklund's line, which is held back by Östman), and 3 bad ones.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Where a player plays in the SHL and especially internationally for Sweden doesn't really matter much. Pettersson is the prime example. Zibanejad played on the wing internationally, too. Is Eklund capable of playing center? Yeah, I'd argue he very much should play center for Djurgården right now, with their 2 best centers away they're entrusting the center position to a snickers bar and a tuna, moving Eklund to the wing would give Djurgården 1 good line instead of 1 competent line(aka. Eklund's line, which is held back by Östman), and 3 bad ones.

I agree, but I think a drafting team needs to be aware that there’s a chance he might be a winger in the NHL. Having the chance to play center in the NHL doesn’t mean he’s a sure-thing center. This is something teams will have to consider when evaluating where to draft him.