San Jose Sharks forward William Eklund has gone through the ups and downs of an NHL season. He's played center for about a month now and continues to improve, but he wants to see the Sharks win games.
San Jose Sharks forward William Eklund has gone through the ups and downs of an NHL season. He's played center for about a month now and continues to improve, but he wants to see the Sharks win games.
San Jose Sharks forward William Eklund has gone through the ups and downs of an NHL season. He's played center for about a month now and continues to improve, but he wants to see the Sharks win games.
Eklund had played left-wing for most of the season but was forced to play center due to Tomas Hertl's and Logan Couture's injuries. Although he was drafted as a centerman, the Sharks had wanted him to play wing to start, similar to what Hertl did when he first came into the league.
Eklund's 26 points (9 goals, 17 assists) are solid numbers for a player his size on a team that has struggled like the Sharks. He has four game-winning goals this season.
"Every day, you're playing against the top guys. I'm getting better and better at faceoffs," Eklund said about his development at center. "You always gotta keep getting better."
Eklund's play in the offensive zone is creative, and much of it is generated from along the boards. He struggled a little against the Anaheim Ducks last night, but that doesn't phase him in the long run.
"It's going to be like that. You're battling out there, and sometimes they're going to win [and] sometimes I'm going to win," Eklund said about his board play. "Every day [I'm] trying to win my battles."
Sharks head coach David Quinn understands he's asking his young star to do a lot.
"He's been asked to do a lot. You're 21, playing second-line minutes against second-line players in the league, and it's a lot," Quinn said. "All the things that we like about him playing center, from him having the puck a little bit more through the neutral zone, he's got it. The negative side of it is a lot of responsibility down low and faceoffs. I think it's a mixed bag for him, but he works hard at it. He wants to get better."
Eklund has won just 36.4% of faceoffs this season. In critical situations, Quinn has moved Eklund to the wing on a defensive zone faceoff and brought Nico Sturm on the ice to take the faceoff before changing for Filip Zadina.
"For a kid that is developing in the NHL, he's been a better defensive player as a year has gone on," Quinn explained. That's really what you need. It's learning the totality of what it is to play in this league."
Eklund's development can be compared to Philadelphia Flyers forward Joel Farabee. Farabee struggled in the early parts of his time in the NHL. Flyers head coach John Tortorella wanted him to focus on the defensive side of the game first.
Even though Quinn didn't coach Farabee at Boston University, he helped recruit him before becoming the head coach of the New York Rangers.
"I think young players learn as they get into this league, and that's what you got to do. You got to be committed on both sides," Quinn said about Farabee and Eklund's development. "You can't take your foot off the pedal at all. Farabee has always had that motor, desire, and compete, and that's why we recruited him at BU."
Eklund will continue to play center for the foreseeable future, and as he continues to develop his 200-foot game, the offense will eventually open up for him in the coming years.
"I haven't thought about it, to be honest," Eklund said about scoring last night. "I'm just trying to play my game, and obviously, it is nice to get a goal, but I wanted to win."
Winning has been something that Eklund has talked about multiple times. Eklund may need to wait a few years, but players who will help turn this Sharks team around are on their way.
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