Eklund is immediately noticeable every time he’s on the ice, and not because he’s flashy – because he’s relentless. He saved his best for the gold medal game at the World Juniors, scoring a power play goal before making a huge effort play in the dying seconds of Sweden’s first gold since 2012. That tells you something about who he is as a competitor. He doesn’t play at maximum speed all the time, varying his pace to the read in front of him – he uses his hockey IQ to make simple plays, he’s underrated physically for his size, he’s good along the boards, and he creates controlled chaos around the puck. Willing to absorb pressure, gets back defensively, and has real upside on both sides of the ice. There is a lot of Seth Jarvis in him – a high-motor winger who earns his ice time through compete and finds ways to contribute in all situations. His playmaking and defensive work are ahead of where the raw production suggests. In an interview he did with Hockey News SE after his Djurgardens team failed to advance in the play-in round of the SEL playoffs, Eklund indicated that he was ready to take the big step of coming over to play in North America, as soon as the 2026-2027 season. It will be up to the Islanders where in the organization he will ply his trade – a stint in Bridgeport seems the most likely at this time.

Blackhawks vs Islanders game preview

Frondell has four points in his last two games (G, 3A) and leads the rookie scoring race as of the morning of October 8. Second place is a seven way tie with two points, including the New York Islanders own Victor Eklund. Eklund is also a good friend of Frondell.

The fourth line seems to now be the third line, just going off of ice time allocation lately. The usual third line of Ryan Donato, Oliver Moore, and Nick Lardis have been the Hawks most disappointing trio over the first four games. A big part of that is Nick Lardis can’t seem to generate any offense, and to make matters worse, he isn’t making wise choices defensively either.

Defensive pairings stay the same, it worked well last game so why change it?

A couples keys to success for the Hawks tonight is building on their shot frequency, as well as continuing to tighten their structure. The Hawks broke the 20-shot threshold for only the second time this season last game against St. Louis. It’s hard to win hockey games when being outshot almost 2:1 every night. They also need to play within their structure. too many times guys get out of place trying to do too much.

Jeff Blashill preaches “the process”. focusing on the process over the results, and the results will follow.

“There were large parts of the game tonight that our process was the best it’s been…especially in the sense of being on top of people. Our D gaps, ending plays early. Our forward reloads. That’s much more how we want to play.” Jeff Blashill after beating the Blues. (via Ben Pope on X)

Islanders projected lines:

Heineman – Horvat – Palmieri

Schenn – Ritchie – Eklund

Prospect Don Post Lottery Top 16 Mock Draft

Viggo Bjorck modeled his game after Sidney Crosby. I talked to his Sweden teammate Victor Eklund and he said Viggo is like a Celebrini out there. Victor Eklund later mentioned:

Eklund is a smart, playmaking winger with slick hands and excellent offensive instincts. He sees the ice well, creating space for teammates with quick decisions and deceptive puck movement.

Eklund recently signed his entry-level contract with the New York Islanders, confirming he will either play in the NHL or Sweden next year. His production in the Allsvenskan is among the greatest of all time, projecting him as an elite player. How often does an 18-year-old lead a professional team in goalscoring? Not too often, and Eklund did that last year. While a bit undersized at the moment, there are plenty of smaller forwards who go on to have lengthy, successful NHL careers because they play larger than their size. Eklund is one of those forwards. The soft skills in tight are elite, and while he may never be the sole driver of play, he will do everything he can to support his linemates and make the smartest plays consistently. Expect another big season in Sweden next year with Eklund making the jump to NHL action by the end of the 2026-27 campaign.

Selected 16th overall, Victor Eklund is now a member of the New York Islanders.

Eklund is putting up one of the best statistical seasons for a first-time draft-eligible player in HockeyAllsvenskan since Elias Petersson. Playing for a Djurgardens program with tons of draft-eligible talent this season, it’s been Eklund who’s earned the club’s trust with consistent minutes with the men’s club. Eklund’s pace of play is advanced for his age, as he moves quickly and very decisively. He can absolutely rip a puck and score from short and medium ranges in addition to being a skilled playmaker. Like his brother, William, Victor is undersized, but he’s just as dynamic as the elder Eklund, maybe even more. The size will always be a concern, but his brother has played at the NHL level, and Victor has had no issues playing against men so far in his career. If all goes well with Eklund, he has top-line potential as a high-octane point-producing winger.

WELCOME TO THE DRAFTPRO 2024-25 SEASON!

The top options to take over the pole position come June 2025 include Erie Otters puck moving defender Matthew Schaefer, who most now see as the drafts top prospect, Saginaw Spirit skilled two-way center Michael Misa, Brampton Steelheads power winger Porter Martone, towering offensive center Roger McQueen, and hard-working offensive winger with Djurgardens IF Victor Eklund.

DRAFTPRO – 2024 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW – SWEDEN

#18 F, Victor Eklund (Djurgardens IF, HockeyAllsvenskan), 5’11”, 161, R, 10.03.2006 A hard-working winger that drives to the front of the net to create chaos in front of opposing goaltenders. His compete level with and without the puck shined throughout the tournament. Whenever he mishandled the puck, he would quickly attack the opposing player attempting to strip the puck from them and take possession back. Most of his goals were scored within five feet of the net. He is an undersized forward which makes it even more impressive that he was able to compete for space in front of the goaltender to score close range goals. Eklund is not draft eligible until 2025 and with further growth in his skills and natural bodily growth, he could take a major step next season and shine even brighter at next season’s IIHF U18 Worlds tournament. Right now, he looks like a potential first round pick for the 2025 NHL Draft.

2023 WORLD JUNIOR A CHALLENGE REVIEW

Victor Eklund, LW, Djurgårdens IF J20 (J20 Nationell), Right Hand, 5’10”, 152 lbs. October 3rd, 2006. Brother to the San Jose Sharks’ William Eklund, Victor showcased some promising glimpses of skill and potential. He has a good energy about him and can set up plays very well. Excellent passing overall helped Eklund get to 7 points with 6 assists. It’s not so certain that Victor will be on par with his brother William, but a good showing for team Sweden will help Eklund out come draft day. Like Anton Frondell, Eklund is playing comfortably in the U20 Nationell League, and with William Eklund already making strides in the NHL, don’t be surprised to hear Victor Eklund’s name called sooner rather than later.

DRAFTPRO – 2023 FALL INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT REVIEW

#18 F, Victor Eklund, Sweden (Djurgardens IF J20, Sweden U18), 5’10”, 150Ibs, R, DOB 10.03.2006 Victor Eklund is the definition of being electric and passion for the super Swedes. He has the work ethic of a racehorse who cannot be stopped. Victor Eklund is a rouged playmaking winger who definitely shows some grit to his game. Every time he has the puck, his hands may not be the fastest, but boy oh boy they act like immovable objects. His passing is adequate enough to make the right play, but it is not considered a wow factor of his game. Even though he’s not the fastest guy on the ice, he has certainly tremendous amounts of flexibility as he can get by his opponents due to his good lateral movement. Even though he is not known for shooting, he has an adequate toe drag release shot as he also does not really showcase his one timer ability. He has a very respective defensive game for a winger. Some minor inconsistencies he will have to work on is his positioning in the offensive zone as he will play all over the place like a centerman. Even though he is only 150 pounds, he may not throw many hits, but my oh my they can’t get the puck off him due to his strong stability on his skates. No doubt about it, Victor Eklund is already building his draft stock in the 2025 NHL draft to become a crucial top 6 forward. – Tyler Ballesteros-Willard

While not the fastest skater, Eklund’s anticipation and creativity make him a constant threat on the power play. He has a relentless motor, and although he lacks size, he plays with a noticeable edge and physicality that should quickly earn the respect of both coaches and Islanders fans alike.

Final Rankings – Victor Eklund is your stereotypical “does whatever it takes to win” player. Despite his lack of stature, his physicality and his ability to handle opponents’ physicality are arguably his best assets. Combine those two qualities with passion and explosiveness, and you’ve got a player that every coach would love to have in their lineup. Eklund doesn’t resist pressure; he pushes through it, powering along the boards before driving inside for a scoring opportunity. His playmaking ability shines from behind the net, where he regularly slips passes through pressure to the crease and low slot. He creates space to pull off these plays by leveraging his smaller frame to shield defenders from the puck. Eklund also boasts a shot that deceives goaltenders by how quickly he releases it. He’s shifty and evasive, which allows him to carry pucks in transition and be extremely effective on the rush, as well as hard to contain in tight spaces. Eklund’s pace of play and intensity build the foundation of a strong energy winger. Still, it’s his intelligence, creativity, and skill that may allow him to develop into a complementary top-six scorer with an edge. The beast is only going to get stronger.—