It was a busy day in the National Hockey League, as multiple trades were leading up to the 2026 Draft later this week. Among the trades was a deal between the Ottawa Senators and the San Jose Sharks, a pair of clubs in opposite conferences who have made deals with one another before.
On Tuesday, the Sharks sent forward William Eklund, forward Kasper Halttunen, and the rights to unsigned draft pick Brandon Svoboda to the Senators in exchange for Ottawa’s first-round pick, ninth overall (previously acquired from Florida) in the 2026 NHL Draft, which begins on Friday in Buffalo.
The Senators added a young forward with scoring punch, with two prospects
According to Senators general manager Steve Staios, who recently traded captain Brady Tkachuk to the divisional rival Florida Panthers, Eklund’s competitive edge will fit in nicely with Ottawa’s forward group.
“William is a dynamic and skilled forward, who plays with a competitive edge,” said Staios via NHL.com. “We are excited to welcome him to the Senators organization and he will fit in well with our core group of players.”
Eklund, whom the Sharks took with the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, scored 15 goals with 38 assists for 53 points, the second straight season that he’s reached the 50-point threshold.
At 21 years old, Halttunen is a former second-round selection of the Sharks, who picked him 36th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. The winger spent the 2025-26 season with San Jose’s AHL affiliate, the Barracuda, where he registered 16 goals and 19 assists for 35 points across 69 appearances.
Svoboda, also 21, was chosen by San Jose in the third round of the 2023 NHL Draft with the 71st overall pick. Over the last two years, the centre has suited up for Boston University, and during the 2025-26 campaign, he produced six goals and nine assists for 15 points in 35 NCAA contests.
Grade: A
The Sharks gave up a top-six forward, but gained another high draft choice
Earlier in the day, Sharks general manager Mike Grier indicated that he wasn’t afraid to make bold moves in an effort to make the club better.
“It’s just all about trying to make the team better,” Grier said via The San Jose Mercury News on Tuesday. “If we do something, it’s with that in mind, just trying to improve the roster, make the team better, not only for this year, but for down the road too. That’s always the job here is to make the team better now, but also keep an eye on the future.
“So be aggressive if something kind of fits those two timelines and can make us better now, but then also in the future.”
While the Sharks did give up a top-six forward who helps on special teams, they also have the chance to fill that gap with another high-end draft choice that they acquired as part of the trade, giving them a total of three selections in the first round – including second overall. They also managed to free up more salary cap space, as Eklund was just entering a three-year, $16.8 million extension. San Jose Now has $46.1 million in cap space for this upcoming season.
Meanwhile, they’ll hope whoever takes his spot in the top six will be able to provide more consistent offense, as Eklund managed only a single goal during a stretch from January to April.
Grade: B
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