Senators Acquire Eklund
Ottawa Senators acquire dynamic forward William Eklund from Sharks for draft pick
Key Points
Eklund has posted at least 15 goals and 45 points in each of his three full NHL seasons, and he put up 53 points in 78 games last season.
Kasper Halttunen posted 35 points in 69 games for the San Jose Barracuda in the 2025-26 season, illustrating his development within the Sharks’ system.
Brandon Svoboda, 21, played 35 games for Boston University in 2025-26 and totaled 15 points (6 goals, 9 assists); Ottawa also acquired the rights to Svoboda as an unsigned draft pick.
San Jose now holds three first-round picks in this year’s draft (Nos. 2, 9, and 27) as a result of the trade with Ottawa.
The Eklund deal follows Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk trade to the Florida Panthers, where the Senators sent three first-round picks and a second-round pick in exchange for the package.
The Ottawa Senators acquired forward William Eklund, 23, from the San Jose Sharks on June 23, sending the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to San Jose in return, according to NH Register. The Senators also received prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda in the deal.
The move comes just two days after Ottawa traded captain Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers for three first-round picks and a second-round pick. GM Steve Staios called Eklund "a dynamic, competitive forward who fits the age profile of our roster," per the Ottawa Senators Official Press Release.
Eklund Brings Proven Offense and Long-Term Contract
Eklund is no gamble. The Swedish winger has posted at least 15 goals and 45 points in each of his three full NHL seasons. Last year he put up 53 points in 78 games for San Jose. His career totals stand at 50 goals and 163 points in 253 NHL games, NH Register reported.
He is locked in through the 2028-29 season at a $5.6 million cap hit. That is roughly $4.5 million less per year than Tkachuk was expected to command on his next deal, according to The Athletic. The lower cap hit gives Ottawa room to add a top defenseman before July 1 free agency.
Two Young Prospects Round Out Ottawa's Haul
Ottawa also landed Kasper Halttunen, 21, a Finnish winger known for a pro-level shot. He posted 35 points in 69 AHL games for the San Jose Barracuda in 2025-26. TSN analyst Elliotte Friedman noted that Ottawa "insisted" on Halttunen as the added piece that made the deal work.
Brandon Svoboda, also 21, played 35 games at Boston University in 2025-26 and totaled 15 points. Ottawa acquired the rights to Svoboda, who has not yet signed an NHL contract. The two prospects give the Senators a deeper pipeline as they rebuild around their young core.
San Jose Stacks Three First-Round Picks in 2026 Draft
The Sharks gave up a proven 23-year-old scorer, but they got something they clearly wanted: draft volume. San Jose now holds picks No. 2, No. 9, and No. 27 in the 2026 NHL Draft, per CT Post. That is three first-rounders, including two in the top 10.
Sharks GM Mike Grier said the chance to own "three picks in the top 30 of this specific draft class was a strategic necessity," according to the San Jose Mercury News. San Jose has been in a full rebuild. Their roster is now the youngest in the NHL, with an average age of 23.4.
Ottawa's Identity Shifts from Grit to Skill After Tkachuk Era
TSN's Pierre LeBrun called the move a fundamental identity shift. "He traded the soul of his team in Tkachuk on Sunday, and by Tuesday, he's replaced that production with a 23-year-old Eklund who is statistically more efficient offensively but lacks Tkachuk's 'bite,'" LeBrun said. Ottawa is moving from a grit-first to a skill-first style.
Analytics back Ottawa's side of the deal. Eklund's Expected Goals For percentage sat at 54% last season despite playing on a struggling Sharks squad, per JFresh Hockey Analysis. Paired with center Tim Stützle, analysts expect his numbers to jump. The New York Times gave Ottawa strong trade grades, calling Eklund a legitimate Tkachuk replacement on offense.
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