Detroit Red Wings
Eklund Might Be Perfect for Wings at No. 13 – If He’s Available
Brother of Sharks William Eklund
Victor Eklund has been competing from an early age, courtesy of his brother William.
“He wouldn’t let anything slide, even though I was younger,” the younger Eklund said. “He was competitive, he wouldn’t let me win.”
It worked well for William, who now plays for the San Jose Sharks. Victor wants to follow in his footsteps.
His prospects are pretty good. Victor is rated a top-10 prospect in this year’s draft, as his brother was (No. 7 overall in 2021). Whether he will be available when the Red Wings pick at No. 13 is another question,
Two minutes of Victor Eklund's (#2025NHLDraft) best offensive plays from this season.
High-end down-low playmaking blending in with the pace and physical skills, beautiful snipes from mid-range, catch-and-release wristers and quick releases, etc. pic.twitter.com/V1I6kaACD9
— Lassi Alanen (@lassialanen) June 3, 2025
In the meantime, Eklund is a six foot, 163-pound right wing who had 19 goals in 42 games for Djurgardens of the Swedish First Division, a pro league with players as old as 40 on this roster. He played a key role in Djurgardens’ championship run this season.
“Playing against pro players, there are a lot of obstructions and you need to think more and play bigger compared to the U-18 level,” Eklund said earlier in the season. “You just kind of go with the flow.”
He and Djurgardens teammate Anton Frondell are considered the two best Swedes eligible for the draft.
Like Brother, Like Prospect
The chances of the Red Wings drafting a Swedish player are pretty good.
Eklund, like his brother, is considered a bit undersized, but is known for his proficiency in forechecking and ability to make plays.
“Eklund has stood out all season against older competition,” writes Adam Kimelman of NHL.com on the website Foreverblueshirts.com. “Though he’s undersized, Victor’s pace at which he plays should transition quite well once he fills out. We’ve seen this pay off for similar players like Logan Stankoven who is even smaller in stature. He has no issues using his speed to get up and down the ice with the puck.”
That perspective is important, too, for this reason: Foreverblueshirts is a website that follows the New York Rangers, who pick right before the Wings at No 12 overall.
"Hell no. He’s not better than me at anything."
Victor Eklund loves to joke about his sibling rivalry w/ William. But there's a serious side to it too, like getting their hometown club Djurgardens back into the SHL.
Are #SJSharks interviewing him? https://t.co/P6LKbXLlRA
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) June 5, 2025
Eklund also starred on the Swedish team at the World Juniors last winter.
He’s comparable to Michael Brandsagg-Nygard, last year’s top Red Wings draft choice, and he fits in with GM Steve Yzerman’s tendency to draft two-way players with good offensive skills.
William Eklund was drafted at 18 and was in the NHL a year later. A similar scenario is not out of the question for Victor.
If he’s available.
NO THANKS ! DRW does NOT need another 5’11” ‘200 foot’ player!
we need a scorer with some size and a good game! Carter Bear would be a good start to the 2025 draft, and set the stage for some really good players – WHO CAN SCORE !
Then: Nathen Behm; Tyler Hopkins, Filip Ekberg, Kristan Epperson.
Might have to t move up a couple of times to get them, but a couple of prospects thrown into the move, might well be worth having the scorers DRW needs to get to ‘the prize’