The Ottawa Senators acquired 23-year-old left winger William Eklund, forward Kasper Halttunen, and the rights to prospect Brandon Svoboda from the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. In exchange, the rebuilding Sharks received the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The official transaction occurred at 1:42 PM, finalizing Ottawa’s urgent push to replace offensive production following the recent blockbuster trade of captain Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers.
This maneuver acts as a direct consequence of Ottawa’s decision to move their captain. The Senators acquired the ninth overall selection in that specific Tkachuk deal and immediately flipped it to secure Eklund as a younger offensive replacement. Selected seventh overall in 2021, Eklund recorded 53 points, including 15 goals and 38 assists, in 78 games last season. The transaction also included Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda heading to Ottawa.
As a direct result of this trade, the San Jose front office amassed a stockpile of premium draft capital. The Sharks now hold the second, ninth, and 27th overall selections in the impending 2026 draft.
Having reached the postseason in consecutive years, Ottawa is actively utilizing its newly acquired draft assets to secure prime-aged NHL talent rather than waiting on prospect development. The league logged the completed June 23 transaction as the Senators attempt to keep their competitive window open.