Victor Eklund Earning His Keep Early On With Islanders

Victor Eklund may be the youngest and slightest forward on the New York Islanders’ roster, but his play on the ice wouldn’t suggest it.

The 20-year-old Swedish winger found the back of the net in back-to-back games against Anaheim and Los Angeles last week. While he hasn’t physically grown out of his 5-foot-11, 175-pound frame over the first three weeks of the season, his confidence has grown since his season debut.

“A lot higher, of course, when you score, it goes up,” Eklund said, referring to his confidence. “It will just keep growing. I want to go from here and help the team win.”

The 2025 first-round pick (16th overall) hit a mini-milestone Thursday: his 10th game of the season, which kicked in the first year of his three-year, entry-level contract. It’s a sign of the role he’s earned with the Islanders after a standout training camp.

Through his first 11 games of the 2026-27 season, Eklund has recorded four points (3G, 1A). “It's been good,” Eklund said. “I think I've been getting better and better every game. I'm learning every day. I think I'm developing."

Eklund’s shifty, fearless style has been on display, as he goes to the interior and into battles with much bigger players. It’s backed up on the stat sheet, as Eklund is tied with Emil Heineman and JG Pageau for the team lead in hits, with 29.

“I think I just somehow sneak past people, and people aren’t really thinking I'm gonna hit them,” Eklund said. “I’m gonna hit them. I just think it's a good advantage, and in the future, I just want to build more muscle and get even stronger.”

Eklund has grown more comfortable not only in his role on the team but also living on Long Island. With the assistance of his fellow Swedes, Heineman and Simon Holmström, Eklund is making a home for himself in New York.

“I'm looking for a spot now, so that's nice to get out of the hotel, and I will stay close to the Swedes,” Eklund said. “I'm excited for that.”

While Eklund is adjusting to life off the ice, he is making a name for himself on the ice. Eklund has skated alongside Heineman and 1,100-game veteran Brayden Schenn in the last three games. The line clicked immediately, combining on Eklund’s second goal of the season in its first game together.

Schenn has watched Eklund’s confidence grow with every game.

“[Against LA], he's putting it between his legs, with kind of being the one last man back, and that just comes with confidence,” Schenn said. “When you're confident, your skill set is able to come out in a moment. It's early on in his career, but he's going to be a good player in this league for a long time, just because he does things the right way and he wants to get better. He's a young guy, but you can tell he's doing everything he can to be the best he can every day.”

Heineman has worked closely with Eklund this season and has liked what he has seen from his linemate.

“I like the grit in his play,” Heineman said. “He's got a lot of skill and speed and all that, but the way he attacks and gets on the inside makes him a lot bigger threat out there as well. So, I'm impressed.”

The line works because Heineman’s and Eklund’s motors pair with Schenn’s experience, and it’s already producing results.

“Heine is just a workhorse out there. Like me, we like to work, and Schenn is our mastermind behind it,” Eklund said. “So, it's been great. I love to play with them, and hopefully I can play with them more.”

Islanders’ Head Coach, Pete DeBoer, was impressed with the line’s performance in the game against the Kings.

“That Eklund, Schenn, Heineman line was the best for us analytically and by the eye test," DeBoer said. "I think when you're winning games, and we pick up points in four in a row here or something like that, I think it's a different line every night kind of steps up. You got to have a couple lines going. So, it was nice for them to really carry the bulk last game for us, because some other lines have done it on some different nights."

Eklund also credits DeBoer’s system for some of his recent success and growing comfort.

While Eklund’s ability to get to the net has been lauded, his first career power-play goal came from distance against the Kings. Eklund dished to Tony DeAngelo at the top of the zone to create some room for himself, called for the pass back and one-timed a shot through Darcy Kuemper.

It was both a heads-up play and a deceptively heavy shot from the unassuming forward, and another confidence booster on a night he skated 17:44 – 2:14 longer than his previous high – and saw an overtime shift.

“I love to score, so it's amazing to have that, and I'll just keep hopefully scoring in the future,” Eklund said.