When the Islanders’ prospects reported to Northwell Health Ice Center two weeks ago Friday, Victor Eklund’s chances of making the NHL roster depended on doing everything right.
He checked every box. He stood out at every opportunity. Though Mathew Barzal’s injury didn’t hurt his chances, the Islanders would be hard-pressed to send him away now, no matter what.
While nothing is official yet, the 19-year-old Eklund’s presence in the lineup for Saturday’s preseason finale/dress rehearsal tells you all you need to know. Unless something changes in the final hours, he will be on this team. He deserves to be on this team.
“My expectation is that I work as hard as I can,” Eklund said after his first practice of rookie camp. “Give myself a shot at the team this year. Whatever happens, I want to make sure I’m giving 100 percent.”
Check, check and check.
Eklund hadn’t yet spoken to general manager Mathieu Darche before Saturday’s match against the Devils.
“I’m still trying to work as hard as I can,” he said. “Just do my thing out there in the game and hopefully it goes well.”
Bo Horvat, though, seemed to tip the Islanders’ hand.
“He’s been great. He’s getting better and better as the camp’s gone on,” Horvat said. “I think he’s gonna start getting more comfortable as the games go on too.”
The best news the Islanders have had over the past few weeks is that every single one of the prospects they view as integral to their future put forth terrific training camps.
Cal Ritchie put in a summer of hard work, and looked the part, making the Islanders believe he is ready to be the second-line center on Wednesday night in Toronto and for as long as it takes for Barzal to return.
Kashawn Aitcheson and Cole Eiserman both stuck with the NHL group through the last round of cuts, looking more like players who could be called up at some point soon than guys who need a year of AHL seasoning. Eiserman looked highly engaged and showed huge improvement away from the puck. Aitcheson was noticeable in every game, a physical force in the making.
And Eklund, the one with the most pressure and the most to prove, looked in command with the puck on his stick, was in the right places when it wasn’t and was ready for the physicality of an NHL training camp.
He was undeniable. A spot on the third line with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Emil Heineman appears to be his for now. And if he keeps it up, that may soon be a spot in the top six.
This Islanders roster will face an uphill climb to compete this season. The star power of Ilya Sorokin and Matthew Schaefer, plus Pete DeBoer’s system overhaul, will need to paper over a lot of flaws in a group that doesn’t have much offensive firepower. This is the waiting game that Darche chose to play this summer, giving the kids a year to bake while being ready to pounce with a war chest of dollars in 2027.
Eklund won’t change that, but he can give credence to it. The Islanders are banking on him to be part of a core that includes Ritchie, Aitcheson, Eiserman and, of course, Matthew Schaefer — who at 19 has graduated from prospect to superstar.
They don’t know exactly what Eklund will be yet. But all signs look good.
“Obviously he’s not the biggest guy but he makes up for it in his compete,” Horvat said. “His ability to do whatever it takes to stay not only in the lineup but wherever it takes to win.
“He’s gonna be a really good player for a long time here. We’re excited to have him.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com
