Eklund gets support from NHLer after up-and-down season

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Brennen Beaudin
April 6, 2022 (10:02 PM)

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San Jose Sharks prospect William Eklund has had a bit of an up-and-down sophomore season playing professional hockey. Currently playing in the SHL with Djurgardens, the 2021 first round pick tallied just one goal and 13 assists in 29 games after putting up 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 40 games and winning the league's Rookie of the Year award last season.

Even with this being a tough year for Eklund, he did get some support from Sharks teammate Jonathan Dahlen, who is a very good friend of the 19-year-old.

«It's not easy coming to a team in that position. It's a lot of stress, a lot of people getting fired. It's been back and forth, and he's a young kid. It's not easy. You got to understand that,» Dahlen emphasized. «He's still done a good job this year and gained a lot of experience.»

After being drafted in the top-ten during the 2021 NHL Draft, Ekliund had heightened expectations for the 2021-2022 season, but being bounced around from place to place does anything but help a young player. He went from the San Jose Sharks development camp back to Sweden to the Rookie Faceoff and then to the NHL, before ultimately getting sent back to Sweden for the rest of the season. Even with all of this traveling, he will be required to do more in August as he will likely represent Sweden at the continuation of the World Juniors in Edmonton.

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