Eklund on How He Wants To Get Better This Year, Grind Facing Celebrini

William Eklund is so excited, and he just can’t hide it.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited for a season,” Eklund said on the first day of San Jose Sharks training camp.

That’s the kind of buzz that Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and GM Mike Grier’s cadre of off-season acquisitions has brought to the organization.

The San Jose Sharks’ 2021 seventh-overall pick is a part of that positive momentum, especially with his strong finish to the end of his first full NHL season.

In his first 11 games, the Swedish winger had just one goal and one assist. He closed the year with six goals and nine assists in his last 14 contests.

Eklund spoke about the NHL grind facing the teenage Celebrini, the low expectations that outsiders have for the San Jose Sharks, and his personal growth.

William Eklund, on the buzz surrounding the San Jose Sharks this year:

It’s really fun. This summer was just talking a lot with friends and family and stuff. It’s just fun to get over here. I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited for a season.

Eklund, on facing Celebrini in today’s scrimmage:

He’s great. Obviously, you can see the skill he has. He’s going to be great player for this franchise for a long time.

Eklund, on the grind that Celebrini will experience this year:

It’s gonna be an 82-game schedule. It’s playing against grown men everyday. You gotta manage that and how to be prepared mentally and physically. But I think he’s such a great, great player, he knows what it’s all about, so he’s gonna be really good at that.

Eklund, who got beat by the Celebrini pass to Hache, says the other team was offsides https://t.co/Qt7jRkm1Wc

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) September 19, 2024

Eklund, on his personal goals this season:

I want to build a lot of trust [from] my teammates and my coaches out there. I’m going to be able to [be] put in different situations out there [including PK], defensively and offensively. I need to shoot more.

Eklund, on how to get as yoked as Fabian Zetterlund:

I don’t think you can ever be like him there. You can [try] all you want, but he’s just a different, different [guy].

William Eklund: "Everybody's going to say stuff about us and how we're gonna perform this season, but it's going to be on the ice that counts the most. If we keep motivating each other to be better every day, that's going to be a huge thing. We've got to prove some people wrong."

— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) September 19, 2024