The San Jose Sharks confirmed that 19-year-old rookie William Eklund has been reassigned back to his club team Djurgardens IF in Sweden, thereby delaying the start of his entry contract by one year. The rookie forward was selected by the Sharks as the seventh overall pick in the NHL Draft this year.
Despite the delay of his entry contract, San Jose has reaffirmed its belief that the Swedish youngster has the potential to be a key player in the franchise’s future.
Sharks general manager Doug Wilson offered the following reflection on the matter: “This was one of the toughest decisions we have had to make. William’s tremendous skill and vision have been evident since his participation in our rookie tournament in September. In his nine NHL games as a teenager, he has shown that he is going to be a special player in this league, but ultimately, we feel it is in the best interest of his long-term development to return to Sweden and continue to work on becoming the dominant player we know he can be.”
Prior to this move, Eklund appeared in nine NHL games for the Sharks, bagging four assists.
