Scouting Oscar Eklind against SHL rival Växjö Lakers.
The Philadelphia Flyers have officially signed left winger Oscar Eklind to a one-year, entry-level contract for the 2024-25 season, with an average annual value of $950,000, as confirmed by General Manager Daniel Briere.
Eklind, aged 25 (born on July 14, 1998), played for Lulea HF in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) during the 2023-24 season, where he tallied 28 points (17 goals, 11 assists) in 48 games. Standing at 6 feet 4 inches and weighing 220 pounds, Eklind, a native of Sweden, led Lulea in goals, tied for first in hits (60), ranked second in power-play goals (6) and penalty minutes (64), tied for second in game-winning goals (3), and placed fourth in overall scoring.
Throughout his career spanning five SHL seasons (2016-18, 2021-24) with Malmo, Brynas IF Gavle, and Lulea HF, Eklind accumulated 58 points (30 goals, 28 assists) and 125 penalty minutes in 160 games. Additionally, he amassed 66 points (31 goals, 35 assists) and 115 penalty minutes in 183 games over four seasons (2017-21) with Patern IK and Mora IK in HockeyAllsvenskan.
Initial Impressions Against Växjö Lakers
Upon watching Eklind during his last game of the season against the Växjö Lakers, what first stood out was obviously his size. At 6’4″, Eklind is hard to miss, with his stick appearing longer than that of some players. The next most obvious thing to me was his willingness to engage in physical battles in the tougher areas of the ice. Eklind welcomes physicality, especially in the corners and along the wall.
When his team is in possession of the puck, he’s not shy about setting up camp in and around the opposition goal. In fact, much of his offense seemed to revolve around the opponent’s goal in this game, and while he did not score, he was at the very least an annoying presence for the defense and goaltender.
Typically, when one describes a big, physical winger, speed is not the first thing that comes to mind. Eklind is far from a burner, but for a big man, he can definitely get up and down the ice and chase down the opposition.
Eklind also played on the penalty kill for Lulea, which makes sense because of his extremely long reach and ability to take up a lot of space, making it difficult for the opposition power play to complete passes.
Projecting Usage Within Flyers Organization
When considering what the Flyers needed this season, among a few other things, one of the first aspects that comes to mind is a net-front presence. Upon watching Eklind, it’s clear that his game can be fine-tuned to align with how the Flyers will eventually use him, but my hopes are not high at this point. At 25 years old, I assume Eklind will be given an opportunity to make the Flyers out of camp next season but realistically may end up playing for Lehigh.
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