The San Jose Sharks are rebuilding, but William Eklund can be seen as the start of the new-age Sharks.

The San Jose Sharks are rebuilding, but William Eklund can be seen as the start of the new-age Sharks.

Upper Deck has partnered with The Hockey News to bring fans a series with all of THN's team sites about the best homegrown talents across the NHL. For San Jose, Logan Couture and Mario Ferraro are other candidates, but given the status of Sharks, Eklund seemed like the best fit.

He was drafted 7th overall in 2021 and played his first full NHL season in 23-24. In 80 games, the 21-year-old had 16 goals and 29 assists. He finished the season strong with points in eight of the last ten games of the season, including his first-career hat trick. 

Eklund can be seen as the piece that started the Sharks' rebuild. Although current GM Mike Grier didn't draft him, he's seen as a top young player in the organization. His consistency needs work, but he had flashes of greatness that made him a top-ten draft pick.

The Sharks took their time before bringing him to the NHL. Eklund was strong out of training camp in 2021 and played nine games in the NHL before returning to the SHL in Sweden. Eklund started the season in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda the following season. He got eight NHL games that season and scored his first NHL goal. 

San Jose has tended to take its time with prospects. Thomas Bordeleau still hasn't found his full-time NHL role despite being given a significant chance late in the season. Other prospects, like Filip Bystedt, Mike Grier's first-round pick, made his North American pro hockey debut this season.

San Jose has Will Smith and eventually Macklin Celebrini on the way, but Eklund has become a fan favorite with Sharks fans. They have given him a nickname, Slippery Pete, that Eklund himself hasn't officially acknowledged but has shown he's aware of it. 

Eklund's talent is there, and now it is up to new head coach Ryan Warsofsky to get his game to the next level.

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

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