Sharks Tell Eklund To Mimic Lightning Star

William Eklund is starting to break out in a big way, and the San Jose Sharks coaching staff has been telling him to watch Tampa Bay Lightning centerman Brayden Point.

William Eklund is starting to break out in a big way, and the San Jose Sharks coaching staff has been telling him to watch Tampa Bay Lightning centerman Brayden Point.

"One of the things I keep talking to him about is, watch Brayden Point," Sharks coach David Quinn said.

Point is the Lightning's top center and has become a star in the NHL. Last season, Point had 51 goals and 44 assists for a career-high 95 points. He plays alongside Nikita Kucherov, this season's leading scorer in the NHL. 

Point is listed at 5'10, 178 lbs. Quinn mentioned that Eklund is bigger than the Lightning forward. It is slight, but Quinn is correct. Eklund is listed at 5'11, 181 lbs.

"Maybe he will never be as good as Braden Point but play with the same type of characteristics. He's actually a little bigger than Braden Point," Quinn said. "That's the type of guy he should mirror his game after."

Point plays with speed, skill, and a slight edge. He isn't afraid to get to the dirty areas of the ice. 

Quinn sees the potential for Eklund to play a similar style due to Eklund's newly found edge.

"He's been playing really well for about four or five games now," Quinn said. "Just his edge and his physicality. It's not running over people. It's 50-50 pucks. Leaning into people. He's just been harder on pucks and skating more."

Eklund has been playing with added confidence and swagger as well. Against the Detroit Red Wings, he found himself in front of the net and smiled at getting punched in the face. 

"That's a great sign of growth," Quinn explained. "He knows it's a physical game. He's not going to be denied. He's not going to be intimidated, and he's going to do the things he needs to do to be productive offensively and defensively."

Quinn believes that if you aren't playing with an edge, you're not playing the game right. 

"I'm a big believer of if you're not pissing people off, you're not playing hard enough," Quinn said. "The fact that you see him in the scums a little bit more often is a pretty good indication of how hard he's playing and playing with an edge."

Eklund was drafted No. 7 overall as a big piece of the Sharks' rebuild. He is definitely an NHL player and will continue to become the star the Sharks desperately need. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's San Jose Sharks site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

BREAKING: Sharks Recall Henry Thrun

Fantasy Hockey: Sharks Offense Is Rolling; Fantasy Players Must Take Advantage

Mikael Granlund Is Sharks Best Kept Secret; Earns NHLPA Player Of The Week

Sharks Creating Records With Comeback Wins