Victor Eklund: “It’s Gone Quite Well So I’ll Just Continue With It”

Victor Eklund is off to a flying start in his draft year. The 18-year-old left winger has seven goals and four assists in 13 games for Djurgården in the HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier professional league. Last Friday, he netted a hat trick in a 7-6 shootout loss to Björklöven.

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Before the Björklöven game, he was asked by Swedish website Hockeynews.se about this start this season.

“Good anyway,” he said. “I think I’m in there and keeping up with the pace. Then I just drive. That’s how it goes, sort of.”

Eklund is projected to be a first-round pick in next summer’s NHL Entry Draft, with The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy ranking him ninth, while Tony Ferrari calls him and Djurgården teammate Anton Frondell among the top three draft prospects to watch in Europe this season.

As both mention, he is the younger brother of William Eklund, also a Djurgården product, who at 22 is now in his second full season for the San Jose Sharks.

But it’s not only NHL teams that are interested in Eklund. Scouts from SHL clubs are regularly in attendance when he plays as well. Eklund is in his final year of is contract with Djurgården, and it’s expected that he’ll play in the SHL – Sweden’s top-tier league – next season. That could be accomplished if Djurgården earns a promotion – the historic Stockholm club just missed it for this season – or he could sign as a free-agent with a current SHL club.

Swedish media outlet Expressen has written that Frölunda HC is interested, citing the relationship the Eklund family has with ex-Djurgården and future Frölunda coach Robert Ohlsson. HV71 and the Malmö Redhawks are also reported to be interested.

“I don’t know,” Eklund answered when asked where he sees himself playing next season. “I haven’t talked to anyone. I’m in Djurgården now and (I hope) we’re going to the SHL. I hope there won’t be any weirdness there.”

Last season, Eklund played for Sweden’s U-18 team at both the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the IIHF U-18 World Championship and had 10 points in 11 games in the two tournaments combined. His October 2006 birthday means he’s too old to play at the U-18 level this season, but he’s expected to appear at this winter’s World Junior Championship.

Also last season, Eklund got his first taste of pro hockey, and he scored three goals in 30 games, combining HockeyAllsvenskan and games in the promotion tournament. His seven goals in 13 games marks a significant increase in production.

“Above all, the speed,” Eklund said about the biggest thing to get used to at this level. “There are a lot of people who play on routine so I just try to do my best out there. I just drive. It’s gone quite well so I’ll just continue with it.”