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YeeeeEK
by Paul on 05/24/06 at 09:55 AM ET
Comments (38)
You can pay me $10 to read this, or read it for free via Tom Benjamin.
Off Wing Opinion is also investigating; another $10 please.
added 11:03am, Jes at Hockey Rants joins in!
update 2:39pm, Anyone know who this is?
update 3:30pm, VCOE should go into investigative reporting. Alanah even goes way back to my old blog to follow the footsteps and clues.
Updated February 2007: Sportsnet TV and Eklund
Filed in: Dwayne | KK Hockey | Permalink
Comments
The funny thing is that people were actually stupid enough to give this clown $10 or $50 or whatever!
Posted by Mac on 05/24/06 at 11:03 AM ET
I am affiliated with the Flyers organization, and I can tell you point blank this guy is not welcome around our organization.
He has spread so many false rumors, he is looked upon as a joke.
Posted by Guest on 05/24/06 at 11:09 AM ET
this is probably a hoax, I did a search for the lawyer at http://www.lawyers.com, and it came up with nothing
Posted by LetsGoIsles on 05/24/06 at 12:54 PM ET
I’ve mentioned this before, but this fraud’s name is really Dwayne Klessel. He is a 2-bit musician (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Eye_Glances) and a desperate hockey insider wannabee.
The problem is that even though he was lying during his lockout “coverage”, people knew of his site, and therefore he did gain some legitimate contacts. For example, he is closely affiliated with Tom Laidlaw, a legitimate NHL agent.
At this point, I would have hoped his garbage would have long faded away, but I guess people don’t know any better.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he was stiffing people. He sent out an email once to his mailing list that was addressed to an accountant that said he owed large amounts of back pay to most of the writers, then claimed it was a joke.
Posted by Clancy from NYC on 05/24/06 at 01:16 PM ET
Very interesting stuff Clancy, I guess the “anonymous blogger” is so anonymous anymore!
Posted by Mac on 05/24/06 at 01:38 PM ET
Is that goofy looking guy Eklund? He looks better in a shadow, no wonder he doesn’t want to be known.
Posted by Buzzy on 05/24/06 at 02:00 PM ET
This is the “joke” email he mistakenly sent out a couple of months ago:
From: Eklund [pelle@eklundshockeyreport.com]
To: various emails, laidlaw’s personal address, etc..
Re: Emergency Interim Budget
Monies needed by week’s end
1. Salaries For Key Writers
Tim Panaccio 1000 for January and 2000 For February (1300 per month in expenses sent to Marleen) Dan Russel 1000 for Feb (Canada) Kevin Gibson 1000 for Feb (Canada) Howard Berger 1000 for Feb
2. Fantasy Hockey Developer Chris Degroat owed $7000 I can strike a deal for 1000 a month if we pay 2000 up front
Also needed shortly.
Eklunds 20,000 due Feb 15. And Eklund’s Cash Salary of $8333 per month - expenses Lesser Writers Salaries...Dwayne Discuss Publicist...discuss two possibilitie
Posted by Clancy from NYC on 05/24/06 at 02:18 PM ET
Where he says Dwayne at the bottom, I’m assuming he’s referring to himself! “Ek” does have a “God” complex!! lol
Posted by Mac on 05/24/06 at 02:30 PM ET
Boy did he ever BS his way thru a year of fame.
I do hope people now realize they were taken for a ride by this imposter.
I would love to see his response to all of this. Will he still say he worked for the NHl?
Posted by Dman on 05/24/06 at 03:07 PM ET
I still don’t see why people get so worked up over Eklund. I like the guy and still check out his site. I read everything he wrote w/ a grain a salt because his site was called hockeyRUMORS.com.
I will say this, to this day he was the first person to preach that the NHL would get their salary cap and believe me I read just about everything written during that stretch (hey - there was no hockey to watch so what else was I supposed to do). He was a encouraging voice during some very dark days for this league.
Anyhow. I wish him continued luck with his future.
Posted by Anonymous on 05/24/06 at 04:37 PM ET
Anonymous - The internet is a forum for everyone to have free speech and it is each person’s individual choice to read what they want. I myself read hockey stories from a lot of different sources. Whether it is from Bob McKenzie at TSN or Eklund, I take each one with a grain of salt. The problem with Eklund is a) he claimed to be a “hockey insider” from day one, but did not have anything to back this up. Yes, he has now made some contacts, but unless you are working for a big media outlet you don’t just all of a sudden start talking with “inside people.” b) he is ripping tons of people off with what he is doing. Yes, each person has the right to choose whether they want to pay for something or not, but from day one he was begging people on his blog to give him money. He would post asking people to click his ads and donate money through paypal. All very pathetic! It all seemed to be very “cult-ish” to me. Just give me $10 more dollars and I’ll tell you ten more stories that you won’t hear anywhere else - ya, because they aren’t true!
Posted by Mac on 05/24/06 at 05:14 PM ET
RE: Eklund as an “insider.”
He knows a few agents. He knows a few Flyers. He knows the writers on his payroll who actually have solid league contacts and feed him info a few minutes before the rest of the world finds out the news from TSN. (See: Tim Panaccio breaking the Forsberg-to-Philly story, and allowing Eklund a taste before it broke.) Bottom line is that his site has stopped breaking news, if it ever did, because gradually Eklund’s lies have added up. Notice how many writers that were allegedly part of his site either never materialized (John Madden of the Devils) or never contributed (Stan Fischler). His credibility is zero outside of Philly, which actually gave this clown a press pass this season.
Posted by Dubs from USA on 05/26/06 at 07:09 AM ET
This so funny. I am a moderator for a very popular message board and I have met Eklund and I know who he is. He is not a two bit musician. I figured it out in November, contacted him and he said he would admit it if I’d give him my word and sign a ND. That is his “deal” he said. He also said that many, many people know who he is. Which I later found to be true. It feels like everyone in hockey is in on this joke.
I am the furthest thing from a fan of his. He takes huge leaps of faith in his sloppy reporting. I did however promise him that I would not reveal his name, and I am a man of my word. He told me that his name would eventually get out and that he is shocked that it hasn’t yet. He said he would probably reveal it one night for the hell of it. I also know a guy at Leafs TV who knows his name and they offered him money to reveal his ID on Leafs TV. Last I heard he was considering it.
He isn’t as connected as he pretends to be. He is more fluff than substance. Once you know his real name you can find the secret out through an easy google. it isn’t hard to figure it out. Once you know the one key thing about Eklund it becomes stupid I think. That being said he seems to be a genuine person who I am quite sure gets off on this kind of publicity. His whole group does. All that I will say is that the Eklund secret is far more obvious when you think in terms of a group. From there you should be able to figure it out.
Cheers.
Posted by Hockey Mod from Ontario on 05/26/06 at 05:00 PM ET
Bull crap Hockey Mod, what are you trying to say here?
Sounds like another one of Eklun’d followers. Do yoursellf a favor, go dring some kool-aid.
Posted by Howie on 05/26/06 at 08:59 PM ET
What Hockey Mod is true. but look at this post from flyersphans.com
http://www.flyersphans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63435
Posted by Flyers Fan on 05/26/06 at 10:11 PM ET
Eklind post this on flyersphans
“this is all fake...the class action suit, the whole nine yards....the email above was sent out as a joke to certain people, and it went to many people by mistake obviously......the guy driving this fake lawsuit, well I got his ip last week and that is a good thing to give the cops considering he threatened to kidnap my two kids, 4 and 1, if I didn’t stop blogging...I honestly don’t get people...that is all i will say about that…
“
Posted by Flyers Fan on 05/26/06 at 10:18 PM ET
Eklund outed himself to me in the FlyersPhans.com website before his career took off. He’s a nice guy yet his accomplishements are over-sold. There is a paper trail to show he worked at a Philly paper, yet he is a product of self endorsement. Pure and simple, he engineered his sucess.
Posted by Gord Bingham from Ontario on 05/26/06 at 10:18 PM ET
Here is the thing with Eklund. If you promised stuff that you have not delivered on, the question to him should be why?
He spins everything around, just like he always has at flyersphan.
I am sure he is reading this here too, since he has decided to post at that forum tonite.
So Ek, you have been making up crap for years, when are you going to learn?
The walls are closing in on you, many people in the hockey world read this blog and I am sure they are either laughing at you right now or feel sorry for you.
How you gonna spin this one goofball?
Posted by DM on 05/26/06 at 10:43 PM ET
Ek used to work with me at the hockey news. His name was, is, and will always be Trevor.
Posted by the truth on 05/27/06 at 01:14 AM ET
(See: Tim Panaccio breaking the Forsberg-to-Philly story, and allowing Eklund a taste before it broke.)
-----
Sorry but your facts are not even close. The Forsberg to the Flyers story broke at 3pm est on KGME in Phoenix. The reason? The main radio guy is a very close and personal friend of Jeremy Roenick. When the Flyers called him asking him if he would waive his no trade clause, he called his friend up.
John Gambadora did not go live with the story until he was on the air at 1pm Phoenix time (3pm EST). Which by the way is 3 hours BEFORE eklund “broke” the story.
He quickly claimed he ‘broke’ the story. Breaking a story that is 3 hours old is nothing special.
So please stop giving him or Timmy P credit for something that isn’t theirs.
Posted by Guest on 05/27/06 at 03:25 AM ET
If any of you folks coming from Flyersphans run into Eklund, have him email me with his website email address.
I think I may have some information for him. The email address I have is bouncing back.
Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 05/27/06 at 06:24 AM ET
ENOUGH ALREADY!
This has gone on way long enough. The fact that none of the “great” hockey media has put out the truth on Eklund is all you need to know. They are in on it. I know the whole story. Let’s just say I “know some Flyers.”
Want the truth? Eklund is not only welcomed in the Flyers organization (that other joker was way off) he is very welcomed, and the Flyers are in on the joke.
What I know to be fact:
Eklund=Panaccio+Morganti+Jones+?. They started Eklund years ago on a Flyers Forum and then took it to another level during the lockout. Al and Jones did a morning radio show in Philly and joked about the blog all the time during the lockout. Tim’s buddy (who’s name I won’t release, but he lives on Tim’s Street) is the “voice of Eklund” that we hear on the radio. They are all Grey Eye Glances fans. I went to see Grey Eye with some Flyers employees, and the band is “very ok.” Not my thing.
Lauren Hart, our anthem singer, toured with Grey Eye Glances. Dwayne may be involved with this whole thing because he has allowed Tim’s buddy to tell people that Eklund is Dwayne on the phone, he has a phone just for Eklund. I heard Tim’s buddy has even pretended to be Dwayne in person at visiting press boxes. Dwayne also does alot of web development and artwork and he helped design hockeybuzz. Having seen Dwayne perform he is way too crunchy and “airy” to be Eklund. And he doesn’t sound like the guy on XM. I didn’t think so at least.
What else I have heard (some may be urban legend):
During the lockout Larry Brooks (and of course Bob Goodenow) wanted at whoever Eklund was. Goodenow blamed Eklund for the fact that the players lost their resolve when he visited Philly last year. (Like players actually read the “Eklunds” and base their decisions on his opinions. Their mortgages broke their resolve) Panotch, Al, and Jonesy loved the fact the Brooks and Bob were pissed.
When the season started they continued the joke. Getting a credential for Dwayne, and some other guys who write blogs on their site, including Tim’s buddy. But whenever Brooksy was in town they had Dwayne’s name and Hockeybuzz.com on the press listing so that when Bob looked for his seat he would see it. I also don’t know for fact that Dwayne actually attended a game. Some say he did and confronted Brooks. Not sure that it isn’t urban legend.
As for XM, Dwayne may have been involved there as well. His band recorded a show for XM Live and also guest DJ’d on the Loft. He probably connected the XM hockey channel and “Eklund.”
I do know that the NHL loves “Eklund” and gives him far too much credit for the lockout ending. I also have heard that more people may be in on this joke. I heard one of the TSN guys has written a Eklund blog. I believe it because Eklund blogs are all over the map. Some are written at a third grade level. Some are outstanding.
So that is that.
And another note. Anyone who believes that Lawsuit is legit has probably not graduated middle school yet.
Posted by Poulin on 05/27/06 at 10:06 AM ET
Poulin, It sounds like you know what is going on. I too believe there is a quick end to all of this, but I need Ek to email me.
It is pretty important and my emails to him have bounced back.
Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 05/27/06 at 10:15 AM ET
Isn’t the email ? That is where the emails come from.
Posted by Poulin on 05/27/06 at 10:41 AM ET
Poulin, That is the email I used, but bounced back three times.
Hey, I have some thoughts he should be interested in, no skin off of my back if he doesn’t respond....
Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 05/27/06 at 11:08 AM ET
Eklund is in deep trouble folks, couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Look at all the responses Eklund has had his buddies make to defend him. Next thing you know he will come down with some terrible disease so people will just fel sorry for him.
What a xcam he has pulled and so many people bought it.
Posted by Jake on 05/27/06 at 01:54 PM ET
Hey Jake,
What crawled up and laid eggs in you?
Eklund is a tremendous person. I know from personal experience.
I used to read Eklund all the time during the lockout. He cheered me up and I was a b i t c h without my Center Ice Hockey to watch. My hubby actually won a hat by predicting the score of a game and it was sent to my work place so we could surprise our kids for their birthdays. We said we had twins who loved hockey and he sent two hats. After that I got to know him pretty well through email.
I emailed Eklund in December and told him about our fund drive for my twins squirt league. He had the Flyers overnight a Robert Esche jersey signed by the team. I was amazed. I emailed him and he played it way down. Then my one son was doing a report on famous people and Eklund let him interview him on the phone even though he joked around and said, “I am the least famous person your son could interview.” maybe so, but the boy was thrilled.
After the interview I talked to Eklund for about twenty minutes on the phone about his family. He told me about the guy, the one he wrote about that died, and how Ek had driven two hours to see him when he was sick in a hotel getting cancer treatments. He told me, and made me promise I would never tell anyone, that he had bought the guy a brand new laptop and delivered it to him, even though they had never met, to try and lift his spirits. He said the cancer guy worked in computers, but his computer was on the fritz, and he was broke, and Eklund said. “I can’t imagine being so sick and not being able to get online to at least distract myself.” As far as I know, Eklund never mentioned the fact he did this grand gesture anywhere, but others I’m sure can back me up on it. When Eklund wrote the guy died I sent him an email, and he responded just saying. “Thanks. Unbelievable sadness for his wife. Pray for her. Ek”
Sounds like a monster that should be stopped to me!
Get a life you idiot.
Posted by Susan from Anaheim on 05/27/06 at 08:11 PM ET
Cry on my shoulder Susan. You have fallen in the Ek trap lady. It is too bad he has made up so much crap that you don’t know what to believe. But I do know this, Eklund is a bser, and has lied to his readers over and over. One day very soon it will come back to haunt him.
Posted by Jake on 05/28/06 at 07:53 AM ET
Hey Jake, what are you twelve?
I know Jeff and his family. And Adina told me that Jeff was so excited to get the free laptop from Eklund that he cried. Adina also said that Eklund wouldn’t let them post what he did. Considering all the crap people like you give him I give Eklund big time props for his humility. I think Eklund is as bad a hockey writer as Morganti was. (wouldn’t surprise me at all that they in this together) However Eklund is an incredible person and I wish him continued success.
And Jake go back to your Playstation dude and hope that when you grow up you have half the class that Eklund has.
Posted by Flyguy31 on 05/28/06 at 08:15 AM ET
What is going on in here? People trying to protect Eklund is way off base. This is not a kiddies blog folks, move on with your tradiing of insults. Most of us have no doubts Eklund is a fake and scamer, those that want to believe him always will until the big one comes down, and rumor has it it is very close to happening.
Posted by Buzzy on 05/28/06 at 09:42 AM ET
Hey all you jealous Eklund Want to B’s!
I found this link on a message board and I have to say this is stupid. I don’t like reading Eklund at all, but this is an obvious case of one guy posting under several names saying, “Eklund’s going to be in big trouble, THE BIG ONE is coming down. Rumor has it he is in financial trouble.” I don’t see what kind of “Big One” can come down on a guy like Eklund? He’s just not that important. He charges money, and people pay it. If that was your last 10 bucks you should have thought twice. I would pay for it, but I get it. I get why people do. I’ve paid more for a bad pair of pants. What are you going to do spend $30,000 in legal fees to get him to pay back 10 bucks to a couple thousand people? I don’t know if he has paid out the fantasy prizes, but what could that amount to? Five grand? I doubt he is “Going Down” for that. The only thing that could take Eklund down is if Eklund wrote something that slandered someone. And he is the biggest wimp writer out there. Obviously he is afraid of slander or just a pussy. He will never be in trouble. For crying out loud people who steal millions walk free everyday among us. Nothing is going to happen to Eklund. Nor should it.
If you wish someone harm for posting rumors on a website you are obviously a jealous Eklund wannabe. I don’t think the guy knows hockey, but do I want him to die broke, divorced and in a sewer?
Posted by Stenton on 05/28/06 at 10:08 AM ET
Poulin,
Clearly, you’re either confused with most people refer to as “facts”, or just BS’ing in your post. Either way, let me help “set you straight”.
-----------
Eklund=Panaccio+Morganti+Jones+?. They started Eklund years ago on a Flyers Forum and then took it to another level during the lockout.
-----------
I’ve met “Eklund”, so there goes that rumor. As for the others, none of them are members of any Flyers forum, nor have they ever been.
-----------
Tim’s buddy (who’s name I won’t release, but he lives on Tim’s Street) is the “voice of Eklund” that we hear on the radio.
-----------
With exception to one person, nobody else on Tim’s street is even a Flyers fan, let alone parading around as “the voice of Eklund”. The person you’re hearing is actually “Eklund”. Again, if you had ever met him, you’d know.
-----------
I heard Tim’s buddy has even pretended to be Dwayne in person at visiting press boxes. Dwayne also does alot of web development and artwork and he helped design hockeybuzz.
-----------
Now this is just getting funny. This “person” your “friend” keeps talking about is Tim’s son, which just so happens to be me.
I don’t impersonate anyone in the press box. Most people there already know who I am, anyways. Plus, I’ve never done any work on that website.
Sounds like you should consider getting yourself some legitimate “sources” the next time you decide to spout off what you believe to be true.
And, for the record, that’s called a “rumor”. Talk about irony…
Posted by Nick from Bucks County on 06/05/06 at 10:45 AM ET
I suppose we now know that Eklund is not the Dwayne from Grey Eye Glances, being that the band was performing last night at the same time that Eklund was reporting on XM about the draft.
Posted by sarah g on 06/25/06 at 04:10 PM ET
Ooooh, hockey drama, i LOVE it! 
Seriusly though, i couldnt care less who reports rumours or inside information. Eklund was quite interesting at first and filled a lock-out void but when he started peddling for money and threw up bloggers that just spewed out material i left and happily found Kukla (finnish name isnt it?) and Spector. If people want to pay to read litters of blogs which you can find anywhere and Eklunds rumours which oddly enough dwindled fast then do so however i think you might spend it on something more useful like adopting a polar bear or one of many starving kids..
On a personal note to Eklund, when you defend yourself on a public forum like this, dont try change the tide by hurling out comments glorifying yourself and your work with slight “yeah hes made himself up more then he really is but havent we all?” remarks. Also, you might want to change your pattern of writing when tossing out these comments. Yours are all flawless gramma (unlike my smelly European one), the text is always split up in perfect sections (there is a word for it but i cant think of it, sorry), there is way to much of a red thread throughout them and way to many “facts” and sources.
Try *#$%@& it up some more, register HockeyGangsta and reply something like “You *#$%@& know nothing!!!11 I met this dude at the (insert bar here) and talked hcokey! You know nothing you asshats!!”.
Sure, it does nothing when saving face or protecting your source of income but adds someone “on your side”.
Also, from a tech side, a ip cant just be “stolen” and i REALLY doubt “Susan” would steal yours just to defend you here. I know Susan and she put the mousepad over the mouse so it could nap!
Oh and Sarah G, honey, how did you know he was on XM and playing live at the same time..? Were you at the gig with a XM radio..? I am no Kojak but please, these posts reak of desperation mr Eklund…
Posted by Mats from Falun, Sweden on 02/09/07 at 04:41 AM ET
Eklund is a foolish nerd with no insider information that is simply lying to the world. Quite pathetic if you ask me, but if thats what he wants to do and be known for, all the power to him. People really shouldn’t be surprised that he is a fake. After all, if he had even an ounce of credibility, would it not be reasonable to assume that a sports network would have hired him as an analyst. As a percentage, Eklund is wrong about 96% of the time (crunch the numbers if you like) so there is the proof in the pudding so to speak. My advice to all you out there who take him seriously; grow up and ignore him. Eventually he’ll disappear because there is no use for useless people. As for the legal expert who said it would cost 30k in legal fees; this incorrect. A simple civil proceeding can be arranged in Ontario for $75 and you can add that cost into the damages you are suing for. More to the point, the suit would be more reflective of principles than damages. What I would suggest is to have a Police Organization become aware of Eklund’s actions to determine if there has been fraud on his behalf because if this is the case, criminal charges will be a lot more troubling for him. As for you Eklund (I know you will read this since you’re a pathetic loser sitting in your Mom’s basement making up BS rumours) enjoy your last few seconds of fame because I see some troubling issues coming your way in the near future Good day all!
Posted by StevieY19 from Toronto on 02/09/07 at 07:32 AM ET
If this is true, Ek is a deusch. Like its official.
Posted by Matheius Seglator from Prison on 06/25/07 at 08:01 PM ET
former hockeybuzz blogger, Tim Panaccio was forced by his employer, The Philadelphia Inquirer Newspaper, to leave hockeybuzz as well as serve a 3 week suspension for his activities in relationship with getting “Dwayne Keith Klessel” AKA “eklund” NHL Press credentials
it was either hockeybuzz off and a 3 week suspension, or plain old firing Timmy P.
Posted by ghandi on 02/17/08 at 01:16 AM ET
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Many of the regulars here know my story with this guy.
He pulled the same crap on Flyer forums before he went national.
He is in it for the money, but the kids buy into it and he suckers them in on a regular basis.
Posted by Flyer Fan on 05/24/06 at 10:10 AM ET