One left winger departs, and another one arrives.
One day after trading away their captain, Brady Tkachuk, the Ottawa Senators have acquired William Eklund from the San Jose Sharks.
The deal, announced Tuesday, also sees the Senators receive forwards Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda. In exchange, the Sharks get the ninth overall pick in the 2026 draft, which Ottawa had obtained from the Florida Panthers in the Tkachuk trade.
Eklund, 23, recorded 53 points (15 goals and 38 assists) in 78 games last season.
Across 252 career NHL games, he has 163 points (50 goals and 113 assists).
The Stockholm native was drafted seventh overall by the Sharks in 2021.
He is under contract through the 2028-29 campaign, his deal carrying a $5.6-million cap hit.
“William is a dynamic and skilled forward who plays with a competitive edge,” said Senators president of hockey operations and general manager Steve Staios in a statement from the team. “We are excited to welcome him to the Senators organization and he will fit in well with our core group of players.”
Halttunen, 21, was the 36th overall pick in 2023. He spent the 2025-26 season with the San Jose Barracuda, the AHL affiliate of the Sharks. In 69 games, he posted 35 points (16 goals and 19 assists).
Svoboda, also 21, was the 71st overall pick in 2023. He is unsigned and recently finished his sophomore season with Boston University in the NCAA. He put up 15 points (six goals and nine assists) in 35 games.
