Well, Senators fans did not have to wait long to find out what their team’s management plans to do with their ninth pick overall, which was acquired as part of Sunday’s trade that saw captain Brady Tkachuk pack his bags for Florida. Ottawa Senators president of hockey operations and general manager Steve Staios announced Tuesday the Senators have acquired forward William Eklund, forward Kasper Halttunen and the rights to unsigned draft pick Brandon Svoboda from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Ottawa’s first-round pick, ninth overall (previously acquired from Florida) in the 2026 NHL Draft.
“William is a dynamic and skilled forward, who plays with a competitive edge,” said Staios. “We are excited to welcome him to the Senators organization and he will fit in well with our core group of players.”
Eklund, 23, has collected 163 points (50 goals, 113 assists) in 252 career NHL games with the Sharks. Selected seventh overall by San Jose in the 2021 NHL Draft, Eklund is under contract through the 2028-29 season with an AAV of $5.6 million.
Halttunen, 21, was selected in the second round (36th overall) by San Jose in the 2023 NHL Draft. He spent the 2025-26 with the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL, collecting 35 points (16 goals, 19 assists) in 69 games.
Svoboda, 21, was taken in the third round (71st overall) by the Sharks in the 2023 NHL Draft. The centre has spent the past two seasons with Boston University in the NCAA, tallying 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 35 games during the 2025-26 campaign.
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