Victor Eklund is an undersized prospect, but the Sabres are no stranger to drafting them. In 2022, they took Matthew Savoie at No. 9 before snagging Zach Benson at No. 13 just a year later. While Savoie never panned out and had since gone to Edmonton, Benson’s played well enough to make the big club for two years running.
That said, if the Blue and Gold didn’t trade their pick and landed Eklund, he’s not playing in the NHL just yet. Heck, he’d probably take another season or two in Sweden before coming to North America. But that would just give him time to fill into his frame and play better hockey over in Europe.
Still, despite the small frame - 5’11, 170 lbs, Eklund’s scoring prowess is what would make him so attractive to the Sabres. He’s a pure winger and a pure finisher, evidenced by his 19 goals in 42 games last season with Djurgardens.
While the Sabres may have better options with the ninth pick, I’d have no problem seeing them snag someone like Eklund and waiting it out until he’s NHL-ready.
What should make Victor Eklund so enticing to Sabres fans?
For one, he looked good for more than just Djurgardens, as he spent a lot of time in international play, racking up 11 points and seven goals in 14 games. Tack on his 31 points in 42 contests with Djurgardens, and Eklund’s already playing sound hockey against grown men. In a way, he reminds me of Jiri Kulich, who put up respectable numbers during his final season in Czechia.
What amazes me about Eklund is his ability to fit the puck into tight windows regardless of whether he’s looking to get in on a helper or if he’s seeking to finish a sequence. Eklund’s highlight reel shows us that this is a recurring theme, and that he’s not afraid to take chances and trust his raw talent.
While this won’t translate to the NHL any time soon, I also noticed that he’s a phenomenal skater with sound puck movement and puck control skills. Those traits look closer to NHL-ready than anything else. Overall, he’s someone relying on his raw ability, but once he hones his game, he will transform into a top-six forward.
Where would he fit in the Sabres organization if drafted?
It’s all but a done deal that Eklund’s returning to Sweden next year, and possibly for 2026-27. If you remember it right, Noah Ostlund took a similar path, so I’d project Eklund enters the North American ranks in 2027-28, spending at least a season in the AHL before he debuts in the NHL.
Look for that debut to occur late in the 2027-28 season at the earliest, but it’s likelier that you’ll see him grace NHL ice in 2028-29. That said, he’s not earning a spot in the NHL in the Sabres organization as a full-timer until the 2029-30 season. Still, with his remarkable skill-set, one that’s not entirely honed, he’ll be a great player once fully developed.
It sounds like a long wait, but if there’s one thing the Sabres need to do a better job at, it’s making sure their youngsters and prospects aren’t mishandled so often. Zach Benson, for example, is average, at best. Matt Savoie’s not even with the team, and while Jiri Kulich was solid in Year 1 at the NHL level, he was unspectacular.
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