Victor Eklund – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

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Victor Eklund

2024-25 Team: Djurgårdens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan)
Date of Birth: Oct. 3, 2006
Place of Birth: Stockholm, SWE
Height: 5-foot-11, Weight: 161 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Left Wing
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2025 first-year eligible

Rankings

Victor Eklund is small, but perhaps has the best combination of skill and energy in the 2025 class. He is likely to be one of the first names off the draft board in June. He’s shown a knack for goal-scoring at a professional level this season, both from long-range and the net-front.

Related: THW’s 2025 NHL Draft Guide

Eklund finished the 2024-25 regular season with 19 goals and 12 assists for 31 points in 42 contests. For someone his age, that’s a lot. He joins five other draft-year players in league history with a point-per-game rate of 0.60 or better across at least 20 games. They are the following: Elias Pettersson, teammate Anton Frondell, William Nylander, Alex Wennberg, and David Pastrňák.

He shot at a 17.1% clip this season, and that’s in an environment where the average shooting percentage is about 10%. This can be interpreted as “his scoring output is unsustainable”, but he seems to be a genuinely efficient scorer. Eklund is very effective in the net-front for his size, and showed promise from the bumper spot on Djurgårdens IF’s power play. That’s not for no reason. He locates scoring areas and presents himself as a target for his teammates to hit.

Victor Eklund Team Sweden
Victor Eklund, Team Sweden (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

While Eklund’s shooting potential is exciting, that’s not where his strengths end. In particular, he has some of the best vision in the class. Not only does he see opportunities for scoring chances that most other players don’t, but he has the talent to make what he pictures a reality. In situations where one player might opt for a shot on a 2-on-2 rush, Eklund might instead delay to create a 4-on-3. During tame offensive zone possessions, he may draw a couple of puck-watching defenders to him and thread a perfect pass to a teammate. Hockey’s all about creating space, and that’s a strong suit of his.

Additionally, Eklund’s competitiveness is admirable. Again, he may be a smaller player, but he’ll surprise you with his determination. He wins quite a few puck battles, making him an excellent support player for his linemates. He’s not afraid to challenge players bigger than him if it means gaining possession. On and off the puck, Eklund is a nightmare for the opposition.

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Eklund has an elite offensive toolkit that can be a game-changer for whoever drafts him. His transition game is strong, and he’s a competent two-way player. While not someone who is going to grind for pucks in the defensive zone, Eklund will contribute on the back check if needed.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Victor Eklund – NHL Draft Projection

It’s hard to put an exact number on Eklund here, but he’s likely to be a top 10 selection, possibly just outside the top five. His brother, William, was taken seventh overall in 2021, so that’s more or less what to expect here. At some point, the upside is too great to pass on.

Quotables

“Eklund’s pace of play is advanced for his age as he moves quickly and very decisive. He can absolutely rip a puck and score from short and medium ranges in addition to being a skilled playmaker. Like his brother, William, Victor is undersized, but he’s just as dynamic as the elder Eklund, maybe even more.” – Jordan Harris, Dobber Prospects

“Victor is an excellent skater. He has good speed, but his edge work is what separates his skating ability and how elusive he is in tight. He’s a very skilled forward who makes creative plays and can do so in the tough areas.” – Corey Pronman, The Athletic (from ‘NHL Draft 2025 top prospects: Matthew Schaefer leads Corey Pronman’s midseason ranking,’ The Athletic – January 28, 2025)

“He’s so well aware of open ice, and does great work quietly finding it. Despite being a little light, he will engage and often win battles using elusiveness and a quick stick.” – Sam Cosentino, Sportsnet

Strengths

  • Vision and anticipation
  • Shot power and accuracy
  • Competitiveness
  • Skating
  • Play on the rush

Under Construction – Improvements to Make

  • Size
  • Offensive consistency

NHL Potential

Eklund doesn’t seem to be the potential face of a franchise, but he can be the ultimate complementary player to someone who is. He has a point-per-game upside as a standalone, but that could be even greater if he goes to a team with an established star. As someone with excellent vision and shooting ability, playing with talent should only help him. That’s been proven when Eklund has shared the ice with Frondell, another top prospect from the 2025 class.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 2/5, Reward – 4.5/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense – 8.5/10, Defense – 6/10

Awards/Achievements

  • 2021-22 J18 SM Gold Medal
  • 2021-22 TV-Pucken Playoffs Most Penalized Player (8)
  • 2021-22 TV-Pucken Silver Medal
  • 2021-22 U16 SM Gold Medal
  • 2022-23 J18 SM Silver Medal
  • 2023-24 HockeyAllsvenskan Silver Medal
  • 2023-24 U18 WJC Bronze Medal
  • 2024-25 HockeyAllsvenskan Most Goals by a Junior (19)
  • 2024-25 HockeyAllsvenskan Most Points by a Junior (31)

Victor Eklund Stats

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