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Islanders’ first-round pick Victor Eklund heading to the U.S.

March 24, 2026

Victor Eklund Joins AHL Bridgeport Islanders Following SHL Season

Victor Eklund’s season in the Swedish Hockey League with Djurgården came to an end after a playoff defeat against Malmö. He is set to head to North America this week to join the AHL team, the Bridgeport Islanders, as reported.

There’s some uncertainty about whether Eklund will make his debut this weekend. Bridgeport is scheduled to play Laval on Saturday and then face Providence on Sunday. I suppose it’ll depend on how he feels after the travel.

After the season, Eklund mentioned to HockeyNews.se that he wanted to come back. He also had a conversation with the Islanders’ general manager, Mathieu Darsch.

It’s interesting to note that Eklund’s Djurgården teammate and close friend, Anton Frondell, made his NHL debut against the Islanders on Tuesday. Frondell was a third overall pick in last summer’s draft, while Eklund went 16th overall.

This past season, Eklund finished with six goals and 18 assists in 43 games during his first year in Sweden’s top division. After adjusting to the higher level of competition, his performance notably improved, especially following his strong showing at the World Juniors, where he played a pivotal role in Sweden’s gold medal victory.

Frondell spoke highly of Eklund, saying, “We needed to play for each other. As always, he’s a hard-working guy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone work as hard as he does and love to compete as much.” He also pointed out that while Eklund isn’t the biggest player, he plays aggressively, generating a lot of energy during games.

In addition to Eklund’s news, the Islanders announced they have signed goaltender Josh Cotai, an undrafted free agent from Augustana University, to a two-year entry-level contract. According to PuckPedia, this two-way contract includes an average annual value of $965,000 at the NHL level and an annual salary of $85,000 when playing in the minors.

Cotai, who is 23, recorded an impressive .938 save percentage and a 1.99 GAA during his season at Augustana. He stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 165 pounds.