San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky sent a message to William Eklund following the team's last game, saying that he needs the winger to "impact the game."

San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky sent a message to William Eklund following the team's last game, saying that he needs the winger to "impact the game."

Warsofsky told reporters that he needed more from the winger. The coach hopes to help Eklund by putting him back with familiar linemates in Mikael Granlund and Fabian Zetterlund. 

"One of [Granlund's] best qualities is he sees the game really well. He helps his linemates [and] helps our team. He's a great leader," Warsofsky said. "He can really help these guys. He took them under their wing last year, and hopefully, they can find some chemistry going forward."

Eklund told THN what the conversation was about with his head coach.

"My work all around the puck, and get more pucks to my net. Get my forecheck going a little bit more, [and] create a lot of offense from my forecheck," Eklund explained. "You're going to have ups and downs during the season. I'm used to it, [but] you gotta find a way to be better."

Eklund has nine points (2 goals, 7 assists) in 14 games this season. Over the last six games, Eklund has only scored one goal and one assist. 

"WE had a good run last year," Eklund said about rejoining Zetterlund and Granlund on a line. "I feel like we know each other, [and] how we are going to skate out there and stuff like that."

Warsofsky defined what he wants to see Eklund do to impact the game. The head coach said Eklund has been playing on the perimeter too much.

"Winning around pucks. Skating. Holding on to pucks. I think he's on the perimeter a little bit too much at times," Warsofsky said. "I think what young players go through in this league is it's 82 games. You're not going to feel your best. You're not going to have your A-game every single night. So what does your B game look like?"

Warsofky and Eklund agree that having Granlund on the bench is a major benefit between shifts.

"He's doing a good job every day, you know? He's a true professional," Eklund said. "I'm just going to see what he does out there and talk with him on the bench, stuff like that. But, from the beginning, I gotta go out and work."

"When Mikael is not making plays, he's competing, he's hard, he's physical, he's doing the little details," Warsofsky said. "That takes time for the young players to understand that. They get driven by the stat sheet and the points and the goals and the assists and the chances, but there's more to a game and helping a team win. It might be a big hit. It might be a big block. So, you have to find different ways to impact the hockey game."

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