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C/LW William Eklund - San Jose Sharks, NHL (2021, 7th, SJS)

mratch19

mratch19

Registered User
Jul 27, 2010
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Vancouver
Kevin Musto said:
It's crazy cause Bob's list has him going 7th. Absolutely ridiculous if that happens.
Click to expand...

Haha, well it seems there isn't a ton of consensus with NHL scouts, outside of Power, this year! (At least with the ten he surveyed)

If Hughes is gone by the Devils pick, I'd be shocked if they passed on Eklund. Let him continue to build chemistry with Holtz. Could you imagine an Eklund, Holtz, Hughes line? Gahh that's scary.

I'd love the Canucks to take him, plop him with Pete and Boeser. Sorry J.T. :p
 
Eggtimer

Eggtimer

Registered User
Jul 4, 2011
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Calgary Alberta
If Power Clarke and Hughes are all gone before the Devils pick , I can see them probably taking Eklund . I’m guessing it will be the three D plus Beniers going 1-4 . 5-10 is a total mystery to me. Mix of Geunther Johnson Eklund Edvinsson Lucious Wallstedt Lysell?
 
ponder

ponder

Registered User
Jul 11, 2007
17,036
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Vancouver
For me Eklund, Beniers, Guenther and Johnson are the top 4 forwards in the draft, but really hard to rank, they’re all very different but on somewhat similar levels.

If pushed, I think I’d go:
  1. Beniers
  2. Eklund
  3. Guenther
  4. Johnson
But I’ll be the first to admit Johnson just isn’t my style of player, and I’ve been brutally wrong about somewhat similar style players in the past (wasn’t that high on any of Barzal, Kuznetsov or Zegras in their respective draft seasons).
 
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bsu

bsu

"I have no idea what I am doing" -Pat VerBleak
Sep 27, 2017
28,539
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Johnson doesn't move his feet when stick handling similar to Mittelstadt... Zegras, Hughes, Caufield etc keep their legs moving.

I have the same as the guy above me with the rankings.

Beniers
Eklund
Guenther
Johnson (wild card pick)
 
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Pavels Dog

Pavels Dog

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Feb 18, 2013
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I go back and forth a lot on Eklund. Really wish we could have seen him at WJC, especially if he had played C. I personally don’t see him as anything but a winger.
He didn’t look ready for the Men’s national team and it kind of sounds like the injury isn’t bad enough that it would have stopped him from playing if they wanted him on the roster.
 
theslatcher

theslatcher

Registered User
Jan 5, 2016
8,176
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Pavels Dog said:
I go back and forth a lot on Eklund. Really wish we could have seen him at WJC, especially if he had played C. I personally don’t see him as anything but a winger.
He didn’t look ready for the Men’s national team and it kind of sounds like the injury isn’t bad enough that it would have stopped him from playing if they wanted him on the roster.
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Disagree. Eklund looked good for the NT, especially against Denmark, & Norway. The Czech game could've gone better but it's not like any forward except those on the Skellefteå line played better(one can also argue he played the best on his line, Hållander made the cut while having performed worse), and it's during that game he suffered the injury.

And just because an injury will heal by itself and isn't serious doesn't mean it won't take time. It being a hand injury means there was no chance of him playing while it heals. Sure, maybe he could've been ready to go again for potential semi finals, but, you don't do that.
 
Pavels Dog

Pavels Dog

Registered User
Feb 18, 2013
20,799
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theslatcher said:
Disagree. Eklund looked good for the NT, especially against Denmark, & Norway. The Czech game could've gone better but it's not like any forward except those on the Skellefteå line played better(one can also argue he played the best on his line, Hållander made the cut while having performed worse), and it's during that game he suffered the injury.

And just because an injury will heal by itself and isn't serious doesn't mean it won't take time. It being a hand injury means there was no chance of him playing while it heals. Sure, maybe he could've been ready to go again for potential semi finals, but, you don't do that.
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I guess it’s possible the injury would keep him out that long but it didn’t sound like it.
I think he would have needed to impress against opponents like Russia/Czech/Finland to make the team.
 
OgeeOgelthorpe

OgeeOgelthorpe

Riccis per 60 record holder
Feb 29, 2020
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UnfinishedBusiness said:
Johnson doesn't move his feet when stick handling similar to Mittelstadt... Zegras, Hughes, Caufield etc keep their legs moving.

I have the same as the guy above me with the rankings.

Beniers
Eklund
Guenther
Johnson (wild card pick)
Click to expand...

That's something I noticed about Johnson as well. Some guys it takes a bit of time to learn that you can't just stickhandle your way through people standing still unless you've got great acceleration. That's how Kovalev and Datsyuk were able to beat people 2-3-4 times before taking it to the net. Johnson will have to break that habit.

Pavels Dog said:
I go back and forth a lot on Eklund. Really wish we could have seen him at WJC, especially if he had played C. I personally don’t see him as anything but a winger.
He didn’t look ready for the Men’s national team and it kind of sounds like the injury isn’t bad enough that it would have stopped him from playing if they wanted him on the roster.
Click to expand...

I really wanted to see him at the WJC as well. Appendicitis and COVID are a bitch, though. This kid has had bad luck at the worst of times this season.

At the WJC20 he was slated to play center between Raymond and Holtz. If he could have successfully played center there (like he did in J20 Nationel) then I think Wings fans would have been all over this kid as this year's Tim Stutzle (junior center/pro winger looking to convert to pro center).
 

Izzy Goodenough

Registered User
Oct 11, 2020
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The issue with your current Vancouver Canucks is that given the choice between building a top 9 that can compete against other top teams, they choose to build a bottom 6.

This probably predicts that they will draft a D man, probably a RHD. So Clarke or Cuelemans depending on where they pick.

Of course this could change if someone sensible takes over running Hockey Ops.
 
Eggtimer

Eggtimer

Registered User
Jul 4, 2011
15,066
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Calgary Alberta
Only reason he is not on some people’s top 5 is that they have the D’s in Power Clarke Hughes and some have Edvinsson all in the top 3/4 with Beniers Geunther close behind . I think with the uncertainty of this draft that basing team needs has some kids slotted in higher than the normally would be.
As a devils fan I want one of the D first and foremost based (perhaps wrongfully ) on team need but with the uncertainty of this years draft , teams are more likely to draft off of need vs BPA more so than other years.
If the 3 d are gone I 100% want Eklund . Moreso so he can play with Holtz but even without Holtz I really like Eklunds game.
 

flying v 604

Registered User
Sep 4, 2014
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Eggtimer said:
If Power Clarke and Hughes are all gone before the Devils pick , I can see them probably taking Eklund . I’m guessing it will be the three D plus Beniers going 1-4 . 5-10 is a total mystery to me. Mix of Geunther Johnson Eklund Edvinsson Lucious Wallstedt Lysell?
Click to expand...
If Vancouver or NJ draft Luke, our fanbases will be reading trade proposals and rumours until Quinn or Jack become a UFA especially if the younger Brothers hit the same level or better as Quinn lol.
 

flying v 604

Registered User
Sep 4, 2014
2,043
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Izzy Goodenough said:
The issue with your current Vancouver Canucks is that given the choice between building a top 9 that can compete against other top teams, they choose to build a bottom 6.

This probably predicts that they will draft a D man, probably a RHD. So Clarke or Cuelemans depending on where they pick.

Of course this could change if someone sensible takes over running Hockey Ops.
Click to expand...
You have no idea what your talking about. The flat cap cost us TT and Ferland is a hell of a player, just adding those 2 who both were supposed to be part of the plan changes our top 9 by quite a bit.
If you want to blame Benning for a flat cap and an injury that's your choice but the lineup we have is not anywhere near what Benning had in mind, plus Jake and AG falling off a cliff didn't help.

Miller, Petey, Brock
Pearson, Horvat, TT
Ferland, Sutter, Hoglander
Rousell, Beagle, Motte
Virtanen
This is close to what we should have seen and that is a very good mix and not weak in the slightest.
Benning is far from perfect but from day 1 he had a mandate to win and before and after the rebuild started (when the twins retired) he had no decent assets except Kesler to move and was forced to sign placeholders due to literally having 2 players under the age of 26. Regardless I think the core he built will be part of the team that goes the distance, hopefully he's still part of the team even if in a smaller role like prez or head scout.
 
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