Eklund benefiting from time with Devils prospect ahead of 2021 NHL Draft

The 2021 NHL Draft is scheduled to be held July 23-24. Every two weeks, NHL.com will take a closer look at some of the draft-eligible players to watch.

William Eklund of Djurgarden in the Swedish Hockey League has enjoyed playing on a line with his good friend, New Jersey Devils forward prospect
Alexander Holtz
. The experience also has helped him grow as a player.
"It's always fun to play with your best friend so we try to teach each other some things," Eklund said. "He's obviously a fantastic shooter so I try to watch and learn to become better. He's easy to play with because he's so skilled and knows where to be to get those high-scoring chances."
Eklund (5-foot-10, 176 pounds), an 18-year-old left wing, received an A rating on NHL Central Scouting's players to watch list for the 2021 NHL Draft.
"He's a fantastic player with amazing playmaking ability and hockey sense," Holtz said. "He battles hard all the time, is very creative, and now he's starting to get a really good shot too.
"I feel he has a good chance to be a first-round pick."
Eklund has scored 20 points (11 goals, nine assists), two power-play goals and three game-winning goals while averaging 15:30 in ice time in 37 games in his second season with Djurgarden.
"William brings something extraordinary to our team on the ice every night," Djurgarden CEO Thomas Kraft said. "He can create intelligent plays on the rush, cover the puck tight along the boards and is very effective on the cycle. He can make a shifty move at any time and is always a real threat around the net.
"He has that unique ability to make a difference and win games, which obviously is a great asset for a player his, or any age, for that matter."
Eklund, No. 8 on NHL.com's list of the
Top 32 prospects for the 2021 NHL Draft
, has been playing hockey since he turned 4 years old. He said he was a defenseman for a short time when he was younger but is happier at forward.

"I would say I'm a playmaker who likes to work hard and open up plays for my teammates," Eklund said. "I like to use my edge work and stickhandling to get into high-scoring areas.
"(New York Islanders forward) Mathew Barzal is a fun player to watch because he finds open space on the ice so well and is also a great playmaker who creates plays out of nothing."
Kraft said Eklund has the potential to be something very special at the next level.
"I can see a bit of (former NHL forward) Henrik Zetterberg in him but also a bit of (Nashville Predators forward) Filip Forsberg with his way of getting those pucks to the net," Kraft said.
Eklund is quick to credit his mother and father for all he's achieved to this point. His father, Christian Eklund, was a forward for 17 seasons in Sweden and Germany, including 10 seasons with Djurgarden.
"My father played a lot of hockey, so I watched him play every day and that got me interested in hockey and he became an idol because I wanted to be like him and to play hockey like him," Eklund said. "The main thing he's always told me is to just go out and have fun. He just wants me to be relaxed and always remember the reason I started playing the game."

PROSPECTS ON THE RADAR (listed alphabetically):

Shai Buium (6-3, 200), D, Sioux City (USHL): The 17-year-old, who is committed play at the University of Denver in 2022-23, has scored 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) and has a plus-9 rating in 37 United States Hockey League games. The B-rated skater on NHL Central Scouting's players to watch list scored 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in 17 games with Shattuck-St. Mary's prep school in Faribault, Minnesota, to begin the season.
"He has escapability with the puck, beating the first forechecker and moving the puck," Central Scouting's Greg Rajanen said. "He's got nice hands for a big player, handles the puck well and makes good decisions under pressure. Shai isn't overly physical and does need to learn to finish checks more consistently, but he plays a firm game in contact areas."
Dylan Guenther (6-1, 175), RW, Edmonton (WHL): The 17-year-old, an A-rated skater, leads Edmonton and is tied for third in the WHL with 10 points (six goals, four assists) in four games. He scored five points (three goals, two assists) in four games on loan with Sherwood Park of the Alberta Junior Hockey League prior to the start of the WHL season Feb. 26.
"Guenther
. "He's running that power play on the back end. He's got an arrogance to his game but in a respectful way. You know this kid is going to do something. You have to continue to let him grow his game but just teach him as he goes along."
Redmond Savage (5-11, 180), C, USA U-18 (NTDP): The 17-year-old has impressed with 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) and 52 shots on goal in 35 games with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team.
"He's trending the right way just because he has an impact on just about every game," Central Scouting's David Gregory said. "He has skill but also adds work ethic and compete level and really good hockey sense too. He's played power play and penalty kill and is effective at both."
Savage, a B-rated skater, is committed to play at Miami University next season. His father, Brian Savage, played 12 NHL seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers.
Photos: Maxim Thoré |Daniel Eriksson (BILDBYRÅN)
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