Islanders select Victor Eklund No. 16 overall in 2025 NHL Draft
A talented Swede has found a new home. The New York Islanders selected forward Victor Eklund, 18, with the 16th overall pick Friday night at The Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
The Islanders received the 16th overall pick, as well as the No. 17 selection, in the deal that saw them send defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens earlier on Friday.
Eklund came into the NHL Draft as one of the top European prospects. NHL Central Scouting had the Stockholm native listed as the second-best overseas skater behind Djurgårdens IF teammate Anton Frondell. Daily Faceoff draft expert Steven Ellis had him listed as the ninth-best overall prospect.
Eklund has been with the Djurgårdens program throughout his entire advanced career. From the Under-16 program to the professional ranks, he has become a top star in the system. This past season in HockeyAllsvenskan, the second-tier league in Sweden, Eklund scored 19 goals and 12 assists for 31 points in 42 games, finishing tied for fifth on the team in scoring. He received the Guldgallret as the league’s best junior, leading all under-20 players in goals and points.
Along with winning the league championship, Eklund and Frondell helped the team earn promotion to the Swedish Hockey League next season.
Along with a fruitful climb up the Swedish hockey ranks, Eklund has had a large amount of experience on the international scene. Along with playing for the Under-16 national team, he played for Sweden at the 2022 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge, helping Tre Kronor win the bronze medal at the 2024 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship.
Then, this past year, he represented his country at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. He was part of the team making it all the way to the bronze medal game, finishing fourth after losing to Czechia. Eklund ended up tied for fifth on the team with six points in seven games.
Of the many aspects to his game, Ellis says Eklund’s size is a huge plus for him.
“Eklund moves quickly and doesn’t waste any movement,” Ellis wrote. “Making him difficult to move away from the crease. While it was a small sample size, Eklund was a standout at the World Junior Summer Showcase last year – the event that kicked off his draft season – because nobody knew how to handle him in the slot. He was engaged in every physical battle and rarely lost.”
SPONSORED BY bet365