The 2024–25 season didn’t offer many bright spots for the San Jose Sharks, but William Eklund was one of them. As the team continues to rebuild, the 21-year-old forward quietly stepped into a bigger role and proved he’s not just part of the future, he is the future.
On Personal Growth
“I think I’m going out of this season as a better player, more confident player in my game. I improved some things that I wanted to improve.”
Eklund’s second full NHL season showed noticeable maturity. He held the puck longer, picked his spots better, and began playing like someone who understands the pace of the league.
Eklund on the Next Step
“My next step is to take it even further and go more to the net. I want to score more goals in this league, and it’s a hard league to score in.”
Eklund is aware of the next level his game needs to reach. While his vision and passing are NHL-caliber, he’s pushing himself to become more of a finisher.
On Playing Meaningful Hockey
“Over the last year, it was really frustrating where I feel like we weren’t really there all the games. This year we were almost in every game.”
There’s been a shift. San Jose may still be at the bottom of the standings, but Eklund saw progress where it matters: competitiveness. The team wasn’t rolling over, it was fighting to stay in games and starting to look like a group that could push back.
On What Still Needs to Improve
“We’ve got to find ways to close out games when it matters the most.”
That “almost” is where the focus shifts next season. Eklund isn’t content with hanging around. He wants the team to learn how to finish games, close out tight ones, and turn those one-goal losses into wins. That’s the mentality that moves teams from rebuilding to contending.
On Leadership
“We have a lot of future leaders in there. And a couple leaders right now who’ve been good at stepping up.”
Eklund may not be wearing a letter yet, but the way he talks about accountability and tone-setting suggests it won’t be long. His approach isn’t loud or flashy it’s steady, professional, and rooted in doing things the right way. The kind of leadership every rebuild needs.
On the Road Ahead
“I’m really optimistic about the future here. We proved a lot this year.”
This is what’s going to help push the Sharks forward. He’s still developing, still climbing. But if this year was any indication, Eklund is going to be a centerpiece of whatever comes next in San Jose.
