Sabres' Option: William Eklund

[I-90 W]

Eklund has been playing with grown men in the SHL (that league is no joke) and his last season ranks 17th all time in PPG for 18yo. That is ahead of some very big names at that age. Draft him at 1OA.

[Hoss]

Eklund is the shiny new toy. Everyone got bored of Power because he’s the obvious answer and has been for a while. Power will be the pick.

[Randall Flagg]

7 minutes ago, Hoss said:

Eklund is the shiny new toy. Everyone got bored of Power because he’s the obvious answer and has been for a while. Power will be the pick.

I've liked Eklund the best since before anyone talked about him as a potential "highest ranked forward "

[Hoss]

12 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

I've liked Eklund the best since before anyone talked about him as a potential "highest ranked forward "

There was a point very early in the process where I said I was very high on him as a forward. Largely the eye test against men. But I also noted that he seems to take advantage of the bigger ice a lot which I wonder about when it comes to transitioning to the NHL.

[pi2000]

16 hours ago, I-90 W said:

Eklund has been playing with grown men in the SHL (that league is no joke) and his last season ranks 17th all time in PPG for 18yo. That is ahead of some very big names at that age. Draft him at 1OA.

Not sure he has the top end speed to compete at the NHL level 🤔

[dudacek]

6 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Not sure he has the top end speed to compete at the NHL level 🤔

Quickness is far more important than speed in hockey and has excellent quickness.

 

[LGR4GM]

14 hours ago, Hoss said:

Eklund is the shiny new toy. Everyone got bored of Power because he’s the obvious answer and has been for a while.

[LGR4GM]

 

[Randall Flagg]

5 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

 

The guy is gonna be insane 

[LGR4GM]

 

[LGR4GM]

https://www.nhl.com/devils/news/william-eklund-profile--draft/c-325650580

Quote

"I think I have to improve my shooting," said Eklund. "I think I have to get that shot faster and better in tight areas. I also have to have better top speed. I think I'm more of a quick player than fast in the long term. Those are two things I really need to improve."

 

[Hoss]

17 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

 

Hard to deny how badass some of this is.

Quote

William Eklund, the Djurgårdens IF up-and-coming star and likely top-five pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, will make his way door-to-door inviting children to play road hockey outside.

“Even if some of the kids don’t want to play, he drags them out,” his father, Christian Eklund, said.

And William Eklund brings a team of his own, with five younger siblings to join him.

Eklund is only 18 years old, but is already a natural leader, having spent so much of his life as the head of the pack in his household. He has one younger brother, 14-year-old Victor who also plays in Djurgårdens’ youth setup; three stepbrothers, aged 8, 6 and 2; and one stepsister, who is 14 years old.

 

[Curt]

4 hours ago, Hoss said:

Hard to deny how badass some of this is.

 

Nice!  Draft this man!

[dudacek]

One week until he puts on blue and gold.

[dudacek]

The Hockey’s Arsenal link makes you drool over his skill set and that Athletic profile makes him sound like exactly the type of character you want to add.

This kid is a victim of COVID, both on the ice, and in terms of the hype. The more I’ve looked into him the clearer it becomes. He is the best player in the draFt.

Matt Barzal went 16 because of his size. Joe Sakic went 15. Eklund is cut from the same cloth.

Hes going to be a stud and we’re nuts if we don’t pick him.