Eklund on Playing With Misa, Wrist Surgery Recovery

William Eklund is ready to win.

The young winger has seen lots of losing, as the San Jose Sharks have finished last in the NHL in back-to-back seasons.

“We’ve got to start doing the things we talk about,” he said on Thursday, the first day of training camp.

22-year-old Eklund, who enjoyed a breakout 58-point campaign last year, spoke on his new contract, his recovery from wrist surgery, and what he’s seen from camp linemates Michael Misa and Igor Chernyshov.

Eklund, on growing as a leader this season…

I want to be more and more a leader. I said that a little bit more last year, but this year  I want to be more and more leader. I might not be the most vocal guy in the locker room, but also on the ice I want to be a guy you can count on every night. Even if you have a down night or something, you always bring 100% to the game, and you try to bring in great effort every night.

Eklund, on how the San Jose Sharks get closer to the playoffs…

I can say things here, say it every time. For me, we’ve got to start doing the things we talk about. We talk about how we want to be a competitive team, how we want to be a winning team. Everybody needs to buy in, including myself. I need to be better this year. And that’s the thing we’re going to need in this group every day. So we got to buy in, everybody.

We’ve been close to winning. It’s a lot of games that we were in last year that we need to turn those into wins. So all around we need to be better this year.

Eklund, on what he saw from Michael Misa on day one of training camp…

Really good. Misa is obviously a great player. I think our lineup is pretty good out there, and I felt there’s real skill. So it was a good pace today. I think everybody bought in. We just got to keep going like this.

Eklund, on on Igor Chernyshov…

Really good player. Very strong on the puck. Haven’t seen him that much before, this is probably the first time I see him like this. But, obviously he’s a big body and he’s strong on the puck.

Eklund, on whether signing a contract extension over the summer allows him to play his game…

I know what makes me a good hockey player. I know what make me successful here. It’s trying to be even better and be even better for my teammates, and be better and in different areas of the game, and defensive areas, and PK, and power play, whatever they need me to do. I mean, just trying to bring that every day.

Eklund, on the offseason moves that general manager Mike Grier made…

We brought in some good veteran presence and, obviously drafted really good, so it’s going to be fun to see here what everybody brings.

Eklund, on his wrist injury ahead of World Championships in May…

Obviously going through anything like that, comes out of nowhere. You don’t really know how to plan out through it. I got pretty good rehab in and I got to skate as much I could. So pretty good all around.

I don’t have a specific weeks amount. I felt good when I felt good. I don’t know exactly when I was back and something like that, but it’s felt good when I was back.

Watch the full interview here