{"id":255455,"date":"2026-04-07T08:52:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T08:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/255455\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T08:52:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T08:52:08","slug":"sharks-locker-room-eklund-reminds-us-how-good-he-can-be","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/255455\/","title":{"rendered":"Sharks Locker Room: Eklund Reminds Us How Good He Can Be"},"content":{"rendered":"

These days, it can be easy to overlook William Eklund.<\/p>\n

The San Jose Sharks are now Macklin Celebrini\u2019s team. Eklund is just one of San Jose\u2019s galaxy of young stars, along with Celebrini, Will Smith, Michael Misa, Igor Chernyshov, Collin Graf, Sam Dickinson, and Yaroslav Askarov.<\/p>\n

This is a far cry from the 2021 Draft, when the Sharks made Eklund the No. 7 pick. At that point, he was just San Jose\u2019s second top-10 selection in 14 years. He was an oasis in a bone-dry system that had mortgaged pick after pick to try to win a Stanley Cup.<\/p>\n

Eklund felt special then, and he showed, in a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, that he can still be a special NHL player.<\/p>\n

The San Jose Sharks are now two points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the last wild card spot in the West, with a game in hand. If San Jose manages to make the playoffs for the first time since 2019, Eklund\u2019s recent play, five points in his last three games, has a lead role.<\/p>\n

Frankly, it\u2019s been an up-and-down third full season for Eklund. After a breakout sophomore campaign with 17 goals and 58 points, the 5-foot-10 winger is behind that pace with 14 goals and 48 points with six games to go.<\/p>\n

Of course, it\u2019s not all about points, but a torrid October for Eklund, five goals and 11 points in 11 contests, set a pace for the season that the young winger has not been able to keep up with.<\/p>\n

That said, the best of Eklund, which we saw in October and for parts of Sharks games post-Olympics and tonight, is an impact winger and a better all-around player than last year.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also easy to overlook Eklund because of his 5-foot-10 frame, but he\u2019s a smart and determined checker, who\u2019s capable of overcoming his size in the best league in the world. The question isn\u2019t if he can, but if he can do it more?<\/p>\n

Not a lot of #SJSharks<\/a> fans know this, but William Eklund\u2019s nickname is actually \u201cSlippery Pete\u201d. \ud83d\udea8\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddea\ud83d\udca6 pic.twitter.com\/MGv8uaSWdJ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 SnipeCity420 \uea00 (@SnipeCity420) April 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Eklund (72) reads off Celebrini (71) here: When Celebrini cuts Wyatt Kaiser (44) off from the middle of the ice, Eklund smartly jumps on the other side of Kaiser, picking off a telegraphed pass to Connor Bedard (98).<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a water bug out there, he\u2019s just so tenacious,\u201d linemate Kiefer Sherwood remarked.<\/p>\n

Eklund has obviously had trouble finishing this season \u2014 before tonight, he had two goals in his last 32 games \u2014 but he possesses 25-goal skill, at least.<\/p>\n

This 200-foot effort got the Sharks going, tying the game at one apiece.<\/p>\n

Eklund then helped San Jose grab a 2-1 lead, showcasing his bread-and-butter passing and vision.<\/p>\n

Eklund \u23e9 Sherwood!\ud83d\udea8 #SJSharks<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/yCIQLo53PD<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 SnipeCity420 \uea00 (@SnipeCity420) April 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

It looks like a routine pass, and for Eklund, it is, but an essential, look at the passer\u2019s eyes: The Swede looks off Sherwood (44), feinting like he\u2019s going to the point, then rips a hard and accurate dish into his target\u2019s wheelhouse.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like to play when it matters most,\u201d Eklund said.<\/p>\n

If that holds true, and he can finish the season on a tear, that will erase the bittersweet note of an inconsistent year.<\/p>\n

Remember, Eklund is just 23. Like any young player pretty much not named Celebrini, consistency is hard to earn in the NHL, especially in a losing environment like San Jose\u2019s has been. You gain bad habits when you lose, and bad habits can be hard to break.<\/p>\n

But for one night, Eklund show everyone who he can be, in all three zones. Again, the question isn\u2019t if he can, but if he can do it more?<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a man on a mission. He\u2019s playing on the inside. He\u2019s got a direct game to himself, and he wants to puck on his stick. He\u2019s feeling it right now, as far as where his game is at,\u201d San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. \u201cHe\u2019s skating. His legs look good. He\u2019s a guy that just really, really wants it. He wants to be a difference-maker. He\u2019s really grabbing on to this type of hockey, which is really important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Will Smith<\/p>\n

William Eklund<\/p>\n

Kiefer Sherwood<\/p>\n

Sherwood, on Eklund\u2019s growth as a player:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a water bug out there, he\u2019s just so tenacious. He gets in on the forecheck. I feel like we were pretty good at reading off each other and just pressuring and getting the puck back sometimes. He gets his nose over it and creates a lot of possession for Wenny. I think the other numbers and stuff will take care of itself, when you just play the right way and continue to create looks.<\/p>\n

Ryan Warsofsky<\/p>\n

Warsofsky went out of his way to highlight Misa’s game: “Misa was really good tonight. He was skating, he was on the puck.”<\/p>\n

\u2014 Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Warsofsky, on matching the Celebrini line best-on-best against Connor Bedard for most of game:<\/p>\n

In the third period, probably a nothing play to you guys, but Mack\u2019s underneath a wall battle on the defensive side. I was celebrating like it was a big goal. Because I think that\u2019s a good growth moment of how you need to play in that situation and play the D side of it, on a wall battle, something that we\u2019ve talked a lot about, and it doesn\u2019t really surprise me that Mac picks it up so quickly. Those are the moments that ultimately help you win games this time of year.<\/p>\n

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