Rookie Victor Eklund has earned the Islanders' trust
Victor Eklund of the Islanders celebrates his second-period goal against the Los Angeles Kings with his teammates at UBS Arena on Oct. 22, 2026. Credit: Jim McIsaac
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The best compliment for any rookie is that they are trustworthy. The scoresheet shows goals and assists. Coaches and teammates look for defensive awareness, the willingness to go into tight areas and make a play, demeanor in the dressing room and coachability with all the quick lessons being thrown the young players’ way.
That trust is not easily earned, nor should it be. The NHL is a prove-it proposition even for established veterans.
Rookie right wing Victor Eklund deservedly has the Islanders’ full trust. The 20-year-old Swede, selected 16th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft — 15 spots after defenseman Matthew Schaefer — has three goals and one assist in 12 games with the Islanders concluding a three-game road trip on Thursday night against the Wild at Grand Casino Arena.
When Eklund played in his 10th game, a 3-2 overtime loss to the Kings on Thursday at UBS Arena, it triggered the first season of his three-year, $3.02 million entry-level contract to count this season. Had the Islanders not trusted Eklund, he could have been re-assigned to the AHL after nine games and his deal’s first season would have slid to next season.
“Of course, my goal was to start with 10 games and now I’m looking to play here the rest of the season, hopefully,” Eklund said. “I’m just going to keep grinding and work even harder.”
It’s the grind that has earned the trust. It’s the way he goes into the corners and comes out with pucks despite his 5-11, 175-pound frame, the way he protects the puck, the way he sees the ice and is not afraid to shoot and, most importantly, his ability to play solidly away from the puck that has kept him in the lineup after a strong training camp.
“The biggest thing from a coaching perspective with all young players is a coach has to trust you, first and foremost,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “Once you have that trust it’s easier to overlook mistakes. It’s easier to let them play through tough times. Eventually their skills and what they do best take over. You don’t get to put your skills and what you do best on display without that first part because the league is too hard if you can’t be trusted out there.
“Eklund, in particular, he’s easy for me to play. He makes mistakes but he makes the right reads. He digs in on the walls and wins more than his share of battles. He’s on the right side of the puck all the time, which is rare for a young player.”
Schaefer, of course, set an impossibly high bar for future Islanders rookies by winning the Calder Trophy in a unanimous vote while setting NHL records for a teenaged defenseman with 23 goals and 58 points.
Eklund has settled onto the second line and provided speed to a lineup missing second-line center Cal Ritchie (lower body) and top-six wings Mathew Barzal (left knee) and Matias Maccelli (lower body). According to Natural StatTrick, Eklund has an expected goals for of 8.39 compared to an expected goals against of 7.58 in all situations and has been on the ice for four high-danger goals scored and just one high-danger goal scored against.
But, like Schaefer, Eklund’s impact extends beyond the statistics.
Schaefer as an 18-year-old rookie was immediately accepted within the Islanders’ room because of his outgoing yet humble personality. He simultaneously showed a comfort that he belonged while always showing respect to the older players.
Eklund is not as outgoing, but he’s no wallflower. He flashed some personality in terming Nashville, the Islanders’ previous stop, a “cowboy city,” and admitting to his love of country music.
He has formed a tight bond with fellow Swedes Simon Holmstrom and Emil Heineman, the latter his linemate with Brayden Schenn.
“The willingness to learn and the willingness to get better day by day,” Schenn said when Newsday asked which qualities veterans value most in rookie teammates. “The more you get comfortable with guys, your personality comes out which allows you to be more comfortable in the room which translates to being more comfortable on the ice.
“You’ll see guys that are humble, hard-working, wanting to come in and earn everything they can. And then you’ll see the flip side where there’s some entitlement and a little bit of arrogance.”
Schenn put Eklund in the “humble/hard-working” category.
MSG Networks analyst Cal Clutterbuck, one of the NHL’s grittiest players during his career, cited Eklund’s smart play in going behind the net and drawing a tripping call against Ryan O’Reilly in the third period of the Islanders’ 4-3 shootout win over the Predators on Tuesday night while also noting Eklund’s diminutive stature. Eklund tied for second on the Islanders in the match with both four hits and three shots.
Meanwhile, Eklund has shown an increased confidence in his shot, notching a power-play one-timer against the Kings.
The game is slowing down for him.
“Getting more comfortable and kind of easier,” Eklund said.
The Islanders trust that comfort will continue to grow.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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