Teal Talk: William Eklund

Teal Talk: William Eklund

By the way, I recently got to meet your grandpa who says he watches all of these videos and interviews on YouTube. So, can I say shout out to your grandpa’s? Yeah, for sure. He’s he’s he’s been a big fan. He’s he’s watching all your stuff and so he’s uh he’s appreciating me all you do. I appreciate that. Um family is pretty important to you. I also got to meet your mom on their last trip out here during the Thanksgiving holiday. I know your siblings are into hockey, dad’s into hockey. What What does family mean to you? everything like I know it’s you know for me it’s pretty easy to say like everything for me uh growing up it’s it’s always been a big family you know I got four four brothers one sister and you know it’s it’s been really busy at home and you know my my dad my mom has done a hell of a job for me and you know you know riding me for practice and stuff like that so yeah they mean a lot for me when family is so far apart like physically how do you guys do it how do you stay close how do you stay in And there’s a time difference too, right? For sure. It’s it’s it’s a small window you have to after this practice, you know, it’s, you know, 1:00 here and it’s 10:00 in the night at home. So, you know, you got to make a quick call maybe and see how they do it and or in the morning or in days off we got. I usually talk for an hour or two with them and see how they doing. So, yeah, I’ll figure it out. You know, just watching your game evolve from the very first time you ever played in a Sharks uniform. I I feel like defensively things have really come around, especially this year. and and you and Winnie kind of have a good thing going together. How do you measure though your improvement defensively? There aren’t the same maybe stats for that. How do you look at it? No, it’s something that you know you grow as as a player and as a as you mature too in this league I feel like, you know, defensively that’s that’s if you want to win more games, you got to be better defensively. I think that’s what we as a team has been this year and me as a player too has has been better defensively. Yeah. you know, your approach and and knowing you a little bit personally, you’re an easygoing guy. You’re a nice guy. I feel like you’re just very friendly. Yeah, I would say. I hope so. Well, wait, but here’s my question. Can you be that same easygoing friendly guy and be successful in the NHL? Or do you have to kind of be a little bit of a jerk on the ice? For sure. You have to be a little bit of a jerk uh in a in different types of way. you know, sometimes you’re a rat. Sometimes you you know, you laugh at guys and do your stuff, but uh you know, you also outside of hockey, I’m just, you know, a regular guy who loves to play the game. Yeah. So, I’ve noticed recently on on part of that attitude thing, um you’ve been in the box a few times lately, and I don’t know if people are understanding of this, there’s no barrier between the two penalty boxes, so you could say whatever you want. You’ve been communicating with the other person corresponding who may have also taken a similar penalty. Is that part of maybe just timing? Is that Are you trying to be a little bit more verbal? What’s going on there? Yeah, I don’t know. It’s It’s something that just comes up with you hit the moment that you don’t you don’t think about it too much, but when it happens, it’s it’s fun. Um, I’ve also noticed that in pregame, uh, you you have the AirPods in quite a bit. Uh, you don’t have to tell me everything you listen to, but what are the types of things you’re hoping to get out of of music? What does music do for you to get ready? A lot. You know, going to your rink. I feel like I, you know, I put the highest volume I can in the car is trying to do all my stuff and same way. Yeah. And then I do Swedish rap and I do Oh, all different type of stuff. Aichi, Swedish House Mafia, you know, all this different type. You know what’s crazy to me is that song Levels came out so long ago. But it reminds me of covering Sharks Games like I’ve been doing for a while. And every time I turn the corner and go up 87 North about to I turn that song on. I still turn that song on. Really? I don’t know why. Like, and rest in peace Achi, but like that like that still gets to me for some reason. The tank gets me excited. That song gets me excited. Davichi guy, by the way. Um, this team this year has had a lot of games that come down to the final minute or so, close games, win or lose. Um, I’m I’m curious, how do you think you are in those critical moments as a person? Are you are you tight, tense? Are you are you normal, calm? And how do you think the rest of the team handles those moments, too? I think, you know, as we learn this year, I think we get calmer and calmer. I think that’s something with last year, we we tend to be a little more tense, and that’s what’s, you know, we kind of shoot us in the foot sometimes. And this year, I feel like, you know, me and the whole team, we just that calmness in us, and that’s something that’s that’s really good to have in in in a game because it’s a lot of tight games. November was such a good month for the Sharks. We’re here at the beginning of December. I’m almost sad that it’s over. I wanted it to just keep going, but maybe it will here in December. What was it about that month? Like the team kind of felt like it had some momentum and I mean honestly the best Sharks month in in quite a few years. For sure. You know, I feel like you know we everybody was buying into the game plan and that’s something that we’ve been talked about before, but I really think that that’s what’s the biggest key. We we all bought into it and we all had each other’s back and that’s that’s something that’s going to keep going. You’re barely 23 years old. just turned 23, right? Yeah. In October. Um, do you feel like, you know, if if Mac and Will and Me and Dickinson are kids, do you don’t feel like them, though, right? You’re But you also probably don’t feel like Wenny or Revo. Where where do you fit in feeling on this team? Right in the middle of the mix. You know, I’m What do you call it? Up for younger guys. But you know a few things by like you you’ve done this season before a few times. You know a few things that maybe others don’t. For sure. I feel like, you know, I’m more mature, more experienced, and that’s something that these guys can learn, too. But, uh, yeah, I feel I don’t know if I’m I’m getting old, but I mean, no, no, I’m still still young. You’re the oldest young guy. Exactly. There you go. Uh, two more things. We mentioned Ryan Reeves. I don’t know if you had an idea of what he would be like as a teammate. Um, but now that he is your teammate and you’ve seen him operate, you’ve seen him inside and out, what what did you not know about him before and what are your takeaways from from him now? H I didn’t know him at all like a person that before, but you know, just being around him and being in the locker room and, you know, he’s he just brings energy every day and on the ice, he he you know, he brings a lot of energy just with his hits and how he plays the game. And our whole fourth line has been really good this year, consistent. So, uh, you know, they make plays every night fast. So, last thing for you. I mean, where do you see your game going next? I mean, again, you’re just 23. There’s a lot of steps I I think you have in store and hope you have in store. What What’s next for me next is just, you know, keep evolving my game, keep getting better, you know, keep being in those dirty areas and, you know, get some greasy goals and, you know, keep going from here. I I want a team to be even more successful. All right, Ekie. I appreciate this. I did not bring you any Swedish candies. I apologize. Maybe next time. It’s good. I got a ton for my grandpa mom at home. So, this just brought me. So, it’s fine. I will see you next practice. Thank you.

Brodie Brazil talks with forward William Eklund about how the season is going, keeping up with family, and growing as a player, more.