Victor Eklund could shine as the next NY Islanders star after signing his ELC

The NY Islanders announced today that they've signed the first of their three first-round picks, inking 16th overall pick Victor Eklund to his entry-level contract.

The Islanders selected Eklund with the first of their additional two first-round picks acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in the trade that sent Noah Dobson North of the border, with the potential to be one of the steals of the draft when we look back in a few years.

Victor Eklund sigsn his ELC with the NY Islanders

Considered undersized at 5'11" and 170 lbs, Eklund's game is far from undersized. While he might not have the weight to contend with bigger defenders against the boards, Eklund has no issue with getting into the thick of the fight. Whether it be Cole Caufield or Matt Rempe in the corner, Eklund will be the first Islanders forward fighting for the puck.

Though it's an easy comparison to make, his brother, William, who plays forward for the San Jose Sharks, is probably his biggest comparable. At 22 years old, William had a breakout season in 2024-25, finishing with 58 points (17 G, 41 A) and earning himself a three-year extension this summer worth $5.6M a year.

The two are similar in stature and unwilling to back down from a fight. And like his brother, Victor projects as a second-line winger who can play on the power play and fill in on the top line when needed.

Though we've been seeing teams looking to get bigger, as evident by many of the picks made in this year's draft, there is still room for players under 6'0", especially with the mentality of Eklund. His size likely allowed him to slip to 16th overall, as Chapin Landvogt, Central European Scout for McKeen's Hockey, tells us, "At the end of the day, if he's an inch taller and 20 lbs heavier, there's no way he's there at 16."

Eklund will play this season with Djurgardens as they make their return to the SHL after earning promotion from HockeyAllsvenskan, allowing Eklund to develop his game in one of the top leagues in Europe. Expect him to make the move to North America for the 2026-27 season, whether that be in the AHL or with the Islanders.