Prospect Info: Sharks Select William Eklund at 7th Overall *Update* returned to Djurgarden

[Munnyro]

I love how his height changes based on the website.

 

[Ronnie Residue]

Huge pick! Was sure I was going to be left disappointed

 

[LadyStanley]

 

[Stewie Griffin]

I know he has said he wants to go back to Sweden for another year but does anyone believe he isn't instantly one of our nine best forwards?

Let him go back. Don't ruin his confidence here just yet.

 

[hohosaregood]

Gotta give props to our scouting team. Whatever they are doing it is damn working.

Shin Larsson and DW Jr. are really turning this scouting group around.

 

[Prntscrn]

Honestly the dude played in a men's league last year. He could realistically make the NHL this season.

I know he has said he wants to go back to Sweden for another year but does anyone believe he isn't instantly one of our nine best forwards?

Yeah, I was thinking he did pretty well in the Swedish League, wouldn't he be pretty much NHL ready?

Please let us enjoy him one more year Think he could have a big year

 

[magic school bus]

Best thing the Sharks have done in years!

I'm so proud of the scouts and Jr.

 

[OrrNumber4]

Bordeleau is a solid prospect, but ideally, he's someone who is 3-5 on your depth chart. Eklund is someone you are happy to have as your #1...

For the record, we have to wait for the results. By all accounts, this was an incredibly obvious pick, so it is hard to credit the scouting staff too much...it takes nothing special to not trip over yourself.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Happy they took the best player available!

 

[magic school bus]

Don't fire Doug Wilson.

Bump him aside and hire his son.

 

[themelkman]

Dont rush him to the NHL. AHL maybe, but I think another sweden year is fine.

 

[HaNotsri]

Congrats! Could be best player in the draft.

 

[tealzamboni]

Bordeleau is a solid prospect, but ideally, he's someone who is 3-5 on your depth chart. Eklund is someone you are happy to have as your #1...

For the record, we have to wait for the results. By all accounts, this was an incredibly obvious pick, so it is hard to credit the scouting staff too much...it takes nothing special to not trip over yourself.

It's pretty easy to scout by watching Sharks games and then prospects games. Eklund fits their style to a T and he's better than many Sharks at it.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Dont rush him to the NHL. AHL maybe, but I think another sweden year is fine.

I agree. Another top-10 pick would be cool, and this guy would hurt those odds.

 

[tealzamboni]

Don't fire Doug Wilson.

yet

 

[Friday]

 

[Hodge]

Anaheim picking McTavish 3rd was insane. Thank you Ducks.

 

[tealzamboni]

I know he has said he wants to go back to Sweden for another year but does anyone believe he isn't instantly one of our nine best forwards?

I think he probably could step right in (and work his way into the bigger minutes). But, I think there's no need to rush him to game 1. His game is mature, but letting him fill out should make the transition a lot smoother when the time comes. Maybe it also gives him more C reps.

 

[NiWa]

Love the fact that he played a lot as C in juniors. Reports confirm that while he played on the wing in his first year against men, he's got the skill set to play as C in the NHL one day.

 

[TheWayToRefJose]

I was ready for disappointment all day and thinking he’d be gone by the time we were on the clock. Holy shit am I excited.

As you can see in @TomasHertlsRooster plot above, this kid is special and literally played at a historic level as a teenager in a men’s league, not to mention his very detailed and solid 200 foot game.

Very real possibility he becomes the best player of the draft.

 

[Hodge]

I think he probably could step right in (and work his way into the bigger minutes). But, I think there's no need to rush him to game 1. His game is mature, but letting him fill out and get used to the NA game should make the transition a lot smoother when the time comes. Maybe it also gives him more C reps.

Maybe give him the 9 games then return him to Djurgardens? Helps to not burn the ELC too. I don't know if that would be too disruptive to his SHL season though.

 

[Sharksrule04]

We are all so happy about this. I’m worried.

 

[Hodge]

We are all so happy about this. I’m worried.

If you think about it everyone who went ahead of him was a center or defenseman. Unless a winger is a Lafreniere or Kakko caliber prospect they're usually not going to go super high.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I think the Sharks are best-served letting Eklund play another year in Sweden. We aren’t competing next season anyway, let Eklund, Bordeleau, and Weisblatt break in in 2022.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

I project him somewhere as a Marner-Ehlers type. Either way...that's a top line winger.