I read a fascinating article on Eklund several months ago, and with the proliferation of Habs-related rumours (hello, Patrick Marleau), which are constantly being mentioned on his site, I figure this is as good a time as again to talk about him.

His identity (yes, Dwayne Kessel) has been a bit of a secret. Why? Well, the AOL article does indeed reveal all, along with photographic evidence.

Apparently he does indeed have more than a few contacts in the industry, but the reason he didn't reveal his identity was due to one glaring problem with the "Eklund" alias - when the site launched during the lockout, it was apparently more than one individual who posted under that name (the current Eklund, Tim Panaccio (a Philly sports writer), and several others).

"Eklund was the byline, but the information about high-level ownership meetings and inside scoops from the NHLPA came from a consortium of plugged-in individuals that wanted to break through the spin machine and speak directly to the fans. The biography on the site was crafted together from different members of this League of Extraordinary Eklunds"

So it's not surprising his rumours (even though a high majority are insanely strange) end up on RDS and the like. His Hockeybuzz.com outfit has apparently partnered with the New York Islanders to set up some blogs as well, so his NHL connections are very real.

"So if he never becomes a member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, does Eklund consider himself a journalist, a blogger or both?

"Probably more like an entertainer," he said."

If you take his rumours seriously, beware.  

Visit the original article for more information - http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/08/01/unmasked-and-anonymous-answering-the-ethical-questions-about-a/