William Eklund

William Eklund’sArticle in Magasinet HockeyRead the sourceClose introduction to team hockey began with skating school in Haninge before he moved on to Trångsund, a sequence he described in an April 2020 interview with Magasinet Hockey. In a December 2019Article in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose interview with Hockeysverige, he also recalled learning to skate with a penguin skating aid and practising his edges with his mother, who had previously been a figure skater.

His father, Christian EklundArticle in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose, had played for DjurgårdenDjurgårdenDjurgården, short for Djurgårdens IF, is a sports club in Stockholm. Here, the name refers to its ice hockey team, which has developed many Swedish NHL players.Close and was one of William’s childhood idols. In the 2019Article in HockeysverigeRead the sourceClose interview, William recalled joining DjurgårdenDjurgårdenDjurgården, short for Djurgårdens IF, is a sports club in Stockholm. Here, the name refers to its ice hockey team, which has developed many Swedish NHL players.Close around the U12–U13 age groups and playing with the older boys born in 2001. In May 2018, he appeared on the club’s admission list for its hockeygymnasiumA Swedish hockeygymnasium combines upper-secondary (high school) studies with scheduled ice hockey training.Article in Djurgårdens IFRead the sourceClose, an upper-secondary programme with a hockey focus.

Speaking to Magasinet HockeyArticle in Magasinet HockeyRead the sourceClose in April 2020, Eklund named Fredrik Bremberg and Pavel Datsyuk as childhood role models. He described himself at the time as a playmaker who wanted possession of the puck and to help his teammates, while identifying his shot as something he needed to improveArticle in Magasinet HockeyRead the sourceClose.

In a March 2025 interview with Sharks Hockey DigestArticle in Sharks Hockey DigestRead the sourceClose, Eklund said he played Fortnite with childhood friend Alexander Holtz on days off. He also played FIFA Pro ClubsArticle in Sharks Hockey DigestRead the sourceClose with Fabian Zetterlund and Rasmus Sandin, choosing to play left wing.

On JanuaryArticle in San Jose SharksRead the sourceClose 24, 2026, Eklund took part in the Sharks’ floor-hockey event with Special Olympics Northern California. In its web summary published that February, the organisation reported that Athlete Leader KimArticle in Special Olympics Northern CaliforniaRead the sourceClose interviewed him, Adam Gaudette and Alex Wennberg about hockey and inclusion.