SAN JOSE – San Jose Sharks ahead William Eklund was left off Sweden’s roster for final month’s 4 Nations Face-Off, with that nation’s officers selecting, for probably the most half, to ice a extra skilled lineup.
Eklund, 22, is hoping that’s the final time in a very long time that he’s denied the chance to put on the intense yellow Tre Kronor jersey.
Whereas Eklund is aiming to complete this NHL season robust, persevering with with the Sharks’ house sport in opposition to the Boston Bruins on Saturday, there isn’t a query he additionally desires to swimsuit up for Sweden on the IIHF World Championships, which start in Might and happen this yr in his hometown of Stockholm.
Eklund stated he “would love to play” within the event and that he’s been discussing becoming a member of the workforce with Swedish officers, however nothing is official. Eklund final performed for Sweden on the 2022 World Junior championships, which have been canceled due to an outbreak of constructive COVID-19 instances.
“It’s been a while, so it would be cool to go,” Eklund stated of the event.
Eklund has by no means performed within the World Championships however is constructing a resume worthy of consideration.
Eklund earned his fifteenth objective and fiftieth level of the season and had 20:21 in ice time within the Sharks’ 3-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. The second-year ahead has been utilized in all conditions by the Sharks this season and, earlier than Friday’s video games, was sixth amongst all Swedish-born forwards in scoring.
Sweden went 1-0-2 within the 4 Nations, falling simply in need of advancing to the ultimate. If the workforce adjustments the roster for subsequent yr’s Winter Olympics in Italy, Eklund would like to be within the combine, and a superb exhibiting on the World Championships would possible assist his trigger.
Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini indicated final month that he’d prefer to play for Canada on the World Championships.
WENNBERG MISSING: Alexander Wennberg has a lower-body harm and didn’t apply Friday, however Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky was optimistic that the veteran centerman would be capable to play in opposition to the Bruins.
In line with Warsofsky, the ailment has bothered Wennberg for a while and aggravated it early Thursday night time in opposition to the Hurricanes. His standing for Saturday shall be recognized nearer to sport time.
Wennberg has 31 factors in 64 video games for the Sharks this season and has been in a top-six heart position since late final month when Mikael Granlund was traded to the Dallas Stars.
VLASIC UPDATE: Warsofsky didn’t have an replace on defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who’s once more coping with an upper-body harm that saved him out for the primary half of the season.
Warsofsky stated Vlasic would get extra imaging on the affected space and that it was too quickly to inform whether or not the harm can be season-ending. After Saturday, the Sharks have simply 12 video games remaining, with their ultimate sport on April 16.
Vlasic has performed in simply 17 video games this season, together with the 1,three hundredth of his NHL profession on Jan. 16 in opposition to the Columbus Blue Jackets, and averaged 15:28 in ice time.
THRUN UPDATE: Warsofsky stated defenseman Henry Thrun (higher physique) is projected to return to apply on Monday. Thrun’s final sport got here on March 8 at house in opposition to the New York Islanders.
CARLSSON RECALLED: Defenseman Lucas Carlsson, recalled from the Barracuda on Friday, is anticipated to make his Sharks debut Saturday night time in opposition to the Bruins. Carlsson signed a two-year, $1.6 million contract with the Sharks final July, lower than 5 months after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his proper knee.
Carlsson began the season with the Barracuda, and whereas his first sport was in November, he didn’t begin to really feel like himself once more till January. He has 23 factors in 44 video games with the Barracuda this season.
Carlsson, who has 11 factors in a mixed 60 NHL video games from 2020 to 2022, was paired with Timothy Liljegren in Friday’s apply.
LUND SIGNED: The Sharks signed ahead Cameron Lund, a second-round draft choose in 2022, to an entry-level contract. Lund, who turns 21 in June, starred at Northeastern for 3 seasons and had 40 factors in 37 video games as a junior this previous yr. His 18 objectives led Northeastern as he grew to become a third-team all-Hockey East choice.
In three seasons at Northeastern, Lund, listed at 6-foot-2 and 195 kilos, had 36 objectives and 93 factors in 107 video games.
In line with a workforce spokesman, Lund will report back to the Sharks, however it’s unclear when he’ll arrive. The Sharks are at house subsequent week, enjoying the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday and the New York Rangers on Saturday.
The Sharks have now signed three members of their 2022 draft class to entry-level offers, becoming a member of heart and first-round choose Filip Bystedt and defenseman and fifth-rounder Jake Furlong. Each Bystedt and Furlong are on the San Jose Barracuda roster.
