LA Kings: First round targets if NHL Draft started today, Part III
In Part Three of our series, we look at players the LA Kings should draft if the season were to end today. Up next, Swedish forward William Eklund.
Continuing right along with our series of players the LA Kings could take with their first-round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft, we have another forward in William Eklund. The Kings have a well-documented history of taking Swedish players in the draft. If you missed the first two parts of the series, see below.
Related Story. First round targets if NHL Draft started today, Part I. light
light. Related Story. First round targets if NHL Draft started today, Part II
Here we go!
William Eklund, C/LW
Vitals
- Age: 18
- Height: 5’10”
- Weight: 172 lbs
- Shot: L
Rankings
- Ranked #4 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
- Ranked #3 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
- Ranked #3 by FCHOCKEY
- Ranked #6 by NEUTRAL ZONE
- Ranked #10 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
- Ranked #5 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
- Ranked #2 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
- Ranked #7 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
- Ranked #2 by SMAHT SCOUTING
- Ranked #4 by THE PUCK AUTHORITY
- Ranked #7 by TSN/McKenzie
Scouting Report
December 2020 – Originally expected to be a big part of the Swedish World Juniors team, Eklund tested positive and was sent home. He almost immediately tested negative and was back on Djurgården’s top line a couple of days later. Eklund is a late-2002 birthday so he is a bit older than the majority of the draft class but his performance so far this year leaves nothing to be desired. His 14 points in 19 games in the SHL so far rank up there with the likes of the Sedin twins and Peter Forsberg for production at this age. While he may not possess the upside that those players have in terms of being borderline generational players and certainly franchise players, Eklund should be a difference-maker at the NHL level. His play has elevated the play of 2020 seventh overall pick at times this year, proving that he is doing far more than riding passenger with a veteran and a top prospect. Eklund has the shooting ability to be a legitimate goal-scoring threat as well as the creativity and playmaking talent to be the facilitator. He plays with speed and pace, often overwhelming less talented defenders with his persistence and desire to play in the middle of the ice and around the net. He finds himself space with good body positioning and the ability to bounce off defenders. He battles hard down low and doesn’t give up on plays often, making him a hassle on nearly every shift. With his World Juniors taken by COVID-19, he won’t get the chance to shine amongst the top junior talent in the world but his play in his home nation in arguably a top-three league in the world should be more than enough to entice NHL teams to call his name early in the 2021 NHL Draft in July. Dobber Prospects/Ferrari
Production
- 19-20: 12G, 24A, 22 PIM, +16 in 31 games for Djurgårdens IF J20
- 19-20: 1G, 4A, 2 PIM, +3 in 5 games for Sweden U18 in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup
- 2021: 11G, 12A, 2 PIM, -2 for Djurgårdens
- 2021: 1G, 1A, 2 PIM, +2 for Djurgårdens (Playoffs)
Video Highlights
Pro Comparison
Final Thoughts
Based on his rankings, Eklund could go anywhere from third overall to the back end of the top ten. He’s a terrific forward with a confident swagger about him. You watch his film; what stands out to me is his precise shooting and shifty skating ability.
He’s active in front of the net and gets his teammates involved with crisp passing to set up scoring chances.
Eklund uses every inch of European ice to create plays, so I am curious how his game translates to the smaller North American rink where there’s obviously less space and time. He and Devils’ 2020 first-round pick Alexander Holtz made for quite the one-two punch on Djurgårdens, tallying a combined 18 goals and 23 assists this past season.
Next. Three takeaways in Quinton Byfield’s debut. dark
And don’t forget that Tobias Bjornfot played 15 games for Djurgårdens while waiting for the NHL season to begin, so there is some level of familiarity there.