William Eklund said he’s “for sure” got a chip on his shoulder after not being selected to Team Sweden for the 2026 Olympics.
The San Jose Sharks winger, who was chosen for Sweden’s 2025 World Championships squad, but was injured prior to the start of the tournament, was disappointed not to be headed to Italy in February. Eklund did not address whether or not he may serve as an alternate for the team if injuries pop up for Team Sweden.
Eklund spoke on his mental approach to the letdown, making the playoffs with the San Jose Sharks, Alexander Wennberg making the roster, and more, all while keeping an eye on his brother Victor Eklund playing at the World Juniors on a nearby television.
Eklund on not making Team Sweden for the Olympics…
It’s hockey, it’s life. You try as good as you can to make a roster. You try to do what you can to make it.
On where he may have come up short…
I don’t know, to be honest.
On whether Team Sweden offered that he could be an alternate…
I’m not going to go into that.
On whether he felt his timing and momentum was affected by his recent injury…
Little bit there, but then also after that, I feel like I’ve been going better and better throughout the whole year. So I don’t think that’s something. I did what I could. Didn’t make it. I’m going to work as hard as I can to get us to the playoffs.
On if he feels like he can’t catch a break…
I go through a lot of things, in my mental stuff, too. So you learn a lot from it. You learn how to get up and get better, and that’s what I’m going to do.
On the message from Team Sweden’s staff…
Gotta keep it personal there. Nothing I want to share here.
They like what they saw from me. They like how I’ve played this year and that stuff. But anything more than that I’m just going to keep private.
On if it’s nice knowing there will be future opportunities with Sweden…
For sure, but it’s nothing I think too much about now. Right now, I’m just trying to focus on the game tomorrow, trying to be a better player, and I want to be a part of the playoff team.
On feeding extra effort into the San Jose Sharks now…
I’ve been like that the whole season, I think. You want to play your heart out every night and you’re working for every guy in here and for our fans to make the playoffs. It would be a great thing for us, and that’s what I’m going to work for.
On his happiness for Wennberg making the team…
Yeah, he’s so deserving of that. This is one of his last chances. So I was really happy for him to get that chance, and he deserves it so much. So I’m happy for him and the family.
On Wennberg’s game this year…
With the puck, he’s such a skilled offensive guy, and he doesn’t get credit for enough. He’s one of the best guys I’ve ever seen on boards and how to protect the puck and how to be around there. So as a young player, I would watch him a lot.
On whether Wennberg could match up against and shut down Macklin Celebrini with Team Canada…
I don’t know. We’ll see about that. We’ll see, but I hope for Sweden to win.
On watching his brother at World Juniors…
I’m trying to catch it, while we’re talking. I want to go to a couch now and watch the games.
On being on Celebrini’s line lately and getting on the scoresheet…
It’s always good to be getting on the score sheet. As a guy who was trying to do that his whole life, I feel like that’s a big thing. But also in the games, you got to make good plays, I think that’s something I’ve been doing. But obviously our team been taking steps here, and I think we got to just keep going.
On playing on a line with Celebrini and Igor Chernyshov…
Two really good hockey players. It feels weird to say that they’re younger than me, but they are, and they’re playing really good hockey. So I’m just trying to play good myself, too.
On preparing to face the Tampa Bay Lightning…
Experienced group. Coming here as a young group we want to prove ourselves. So I think that’s a good thing in both ways. We just got to go out there and play our game.