Victor Eklund is another interesting name coming out of Sweden ahead of the 2025 NHL Entry draft. He's the brother of San Jose Sharks forward William Eklund and has the talent to match his big brother in most regards. Another player from Djurgardens we are going to talk about is one of the best European skaters in the draft, and we will get a good look at whether or not he can be an impact player at the NHL level.
This season, for Djurgardens, Eklund scored 19 goals and 12 assists for 31 points in 42 games. As a 17-year-old in a men's league, that is impressive. When he was put in a position to represent Sweden at the World Juniors, Eklund scored two goals and four assists for six points in seven games. That's a show of incredible talent, and on the biggest stage, he won't shy away from the spotlight.
One problem the New York Rangers organization might have with this player is that he's only 5'11. New York has recently had a mantra of drafting larger bodies and hoping the talent develops, where his player needs to have faith in the talent and how the body grows. It seems like a philosophical mismatch between the Rangers and Victor Eklund, but this is one of the most exciting names in the draft due to his familial NHL ties.
While it would be fun to see a player of this quality end up in a New York Rangers uniform, it is again worth noting that the Rangers first-round draft pick this year is currently in possession of the Vancouver Canucks. New York would need this pick to be in the top ten and even have a shot at drafting a player like Eklund without trading for another pick, which seems unlikely.