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

[Pavels Dog]

Can't tell if these "highlights" are serious

It shows some awareness on the ice to avoid being hit, which is good for a young player trying to stick in the league. But that’s about it.

 

[Kcoyote3]

It shows some awareness on the ice to avoid being hit, which is good for a young player trying to stick in the league. But that’s about it.

Yeah he’s slippery, we like it

 

[Mattb124]

It shows some awareness on the ice to avoid being hit, which is good for a young player trying to stick in the league. But that’s about it.

Yeah, watching WPG players hurt themselves not once but twice trying to hit Eklund and missing is highlight material in my book.

 

[Prntscrn]

Having watched him for one and a half season in the SHL he has always been slippery, but I've noticed it more in other ways than him avoiding hits. But playing in a more physical league that ability might become more evident. One thing he has always done really well is drawing opponents in close and then turn away from them creating time and space, add that with his lazer vision you got yourself a great playmaker. I think you'll see him getting a ton of assists from below the goal line that way, absolute beast down there

 

[Jargon]

Having watched him for one and a half season in the SHL he has always been slippery, but I've noticed it more in other ways than him avoiding hits. But playing in a more physical league that ability might become more evident. One thing he has always done really well is drawing opponents in close and then turn away from them creating time and space, add that with his lazer vision you got yourself a great playmaker. I think you'll see him getting a ton of assists from below the goal line that way, absolute beast down there

Yeah, he seems to have the uncanny ability to go into an area that seems like it’s crowded with the opposing team’s players and either pass or wiggle around them, it’s wild to see, I haven’t quite seen a player be that evasive without it being stickhandling specific. He just has this crazy slippery way of skating and insanely high IQ. Love him on our team.

 

[hohosaregood]

Having watched him for one and a half season in the SHL he has always been slippery, but I've noticed it more in other ways than him avoiding hits. But playing in a more physical league that ability might become more evident. One thing he has always done really well is drawing opponents in close and then turn away from them creating time and space, add that with his lazer vision you got yourself a great playmaker. I think you'll see him getting a ton of assists from below the goal line that way, absolute beast down there

That was apparent on his PP assist and he showed it pretty often during the preseason too. He misdirected his check at the point and drove down the half board free.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Yeah he’s slippery, we like it

 

[Prntscrn]

There is only one possible nickname for him, Lil Fimp

 

[themelkman]

There is only one possible nickname for him, Lil Fimp

Can you break down the nickname for me? I know you guys call his old man Fimpen but what does that actually mean?

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

That was apparent on his PP assist and he showed it pretty often during the preseason too. He misdirected his check at the point and drove down the half board free.

So simple yet so effective.

I'm still dumbfounded that NHL teams let the clear highest IQ in the draft drop to 7.

Did they learn nothing from Petterson?

 

[theslatcher]

Can you break down the nickname for me? I know you guys call his old man Fimpen but what does that actually mean?

A fimp is a cigar/cigarette butt.

 

[Prntscrn]

A fimp is a cigar/cigarette butt.

And I have no idea how it came about, it has just always been like that. So naturally William became Lill-fimpen everywhere

 

[themelkman]

So simple yet so effective.

I'm still dumbfounded that NHL teams let the clear highest IQ in the draft drop to 7.

Did they learn nothing from Petterson?

Lots of NHL scouting departments are disregarded for hype IMO. Old school GM pressure seems to still reign in the NHL over trusting scouts.

People get this idea in their head like Owen Power being Hedman and refuse to move off of it.

 

[theslatcher]

And I have no idea how it came about, it has just always been like that. So naturally William became Lill-fimpen everywhere

It's actually on youtube! Typical, eh?

Granny smoked a ton and had a bucket for cigarette butts(fimp hink), his dad and he lived there at times, at one such occasion when he was at around 1yo they were to meet up with her downtown, and there was nothing to carry him with. So his dad emptied, and washed the bucket clean and put him there.

Then when they meet up with her, she goes "that's my fimp hink, yeah, he is a little fimp."

 

[Kalv]

So simple yet so effective.

I'm still dumbfounded that NHL teams let the clear highest IQ in the draft drop to 7.

Did they learn nothing from Petterson?

Ducks went for a powerful center, Devils went for family ties (and fan request), Columbus badly wanted a center, Detroit just went with another Swede that is a D and bigger (IIRC Detroit has a lot of smallish forwards in the system) and there you go. But it is mind boggling as well, this is not the time to draft for a team need – something I learned when my Ducks got Fowler because Rangers needed a big Dman in McIlrath

 

[Pavels Dog]

Ducks went for a powerful center, Devils went for family ties (and fan request), Columbus badly wanted a center, Detroit just went with another Swede that is a D and bigger (IIRC Detroit has a lot of smallish forwards in the system) and there you go. But it is mind boggling as well, this is not the time to draft for a team need – something I learned when my Ducks got Fowler because Rangers needed a big Dman in McIlrath

Edvinsson and Eklund look like the best picks from the draft so far. But I also think Power is obviously a good, safe pick (if Buffalo manages to not ruin him), and Mactavish also looks like he's going to be a player.
Most questionable imo is Hughes and Johnson. But just like with Pettersson it shouldn't be made up to be some scenario where every team picked scrubs instead.

 

[NiagaraKraken]

Edvinsson and Eklund look like the best picks from the draft so far. But I also think Power is obviously a good, safe pick (if Buffalo manages to not ruin him), and Mactavish also looks like he's going to be a player.
Most questionable imo is Hughes and Johnson. But just like with Pettersson it shouldn't be made up to be some scenario where every team picked scrubs instead.

Can we wait a little longer than game 1? My lord lol

 

[Pavels Dog]

Can we wait a little longer than game 1? My lord lol

'so far'. Also most players have played more than 1 game (especially including preseasons).

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Can we wait a little longer than game 1? My lord lol

Also don't see what's questionable about Johnson pick, considering he had an incredible season in NCAA and has not done anything to change that

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Edvinsson and Eklund look like the best picks from the draft so far. But I also think Power is obviously a good, safe pick (if Buffalo manages to not ruin him), and Mactavish also looks like he's going to be a player.
Most questionable imo is Hughes and Johnson. But just like with Pettersson it shouldn't be made up to be some scenario where every team picked scrubs instead.

Yeah it is definitely too early to say who is the best picks in the draft right now. Every one of the top-9 has looked good so far...but it's only been a few months with a handful of games played. I think the only statement to be made this time is that either Eklund or Sillinger were the best picks given where they went as both have made their rosters, despite falling out of the top-5/10.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Also don't see what's questionable about Johnson pick, considering he had an incredible season in NCAA and has not done anything to change that

I also don’t see the Hughes pick as questionable either.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

Eklund has been slippery but when he does get caught he gets trucked pretty hard.

 

[ZEBROA]

I thought Eklund would play in NHL next year(and not a sure thing). Every game this year is a bonus.

 

[TheWayToRefJose]

3 points in 3 games.

Great on the PP, he looks a little tentative at 5v5.

 

[NJ DevLolz]

Edvinsson and Eklund look like the best picks from the draft so far. But I also think Power is obviously a good, safe pick (if Buffalo manages to not ruin him), and Mactavish also looks like he's going to be a player.
Most questionable imo is Hughes and Johnson. But just like with Pettersson it shouldn't be made up to be some scenario where every team picked scrubs instead.

Hughes? He just turned 18, is ppg, is getting marks for his two-way ability, and doesn’t get pp1 time