From Boy to Man: Eklund Growing Up Before Sharks Eyes
William Eklund potted his fourth game-winning goal of the season for the San Jose Sharks last night.
Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports - From Boy to Man: Eklund Growing Up Before Sharks EyesWilliam Eklund potted his fourth game-winning goal of the season for the San Jose Sharks last night.
Eklund's third-period tally gave the Sharks a 2-1 over the Winnipeg Jets. The young Swede has seven goals on the season and is on a three-game point streak.
"I want to add that to my game even more. I wanna be a scoring threat out there, too," Eklund said postgame. "It was a great pass by Granlund. I want to be able to score with that chance."
The 21-year-old winger began his first entire NHL season slowly. He showed a lot of growth during the Sharks' six-game road trip.
"He's understanding that there's an awful lot to be a really good NHL hockey player," Sharks coach David Quinn said postgame. "He's adding a lot to his game in a short period of time."
Earlier in the season, Quinn wasn't afraid to sit Eklund for an extended period due to a bad penalty or defensive breakdown. Quinn was careful not to bury Eklund and allow him to make up for his mistakes when they happened. Now Eklund has gained more trust with his head coach.
"His D zone has been better. His tracking has been better. His play away from the puck has gotten better," Quinn explained. "Those are things that are going to allow him to be a really good player at this level."
He has also become a feature on the Sharks top powerplay unit. His ability to one-time the puck has translated nicely to the NHL level. He was often in that position with the San Jose Barracuda.
"A bunch of people have helped him. I know Mike Ricci has worked with him, and he spent a lot of time working on it," Quinn said about Eklund's one-timer. "When you're going to play that flank, you better be ready to take a one-timer, and he was ready and [scored] a huge goal."
Eklund took two holding penalties in last night's game. When he spoke to the media afterward, he recognized that mistake.
"I think it was a good game for me. Obviously, those two penalties were stupid by me, but [that's] something I have to learn how not to do," Eklund said.
His answers postgame are getting longer. He is smiling more and becoming more comfortable on and off the ice.
The Sharks need Eklund to be a star in the NHL for the team to be successful. He is the first player of the Mike Grier core.
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