William Eklund is turning the page and looking forward to a fresh start with the Ottawa Senators, leaving behind any hard feelings towards the San Jose Sharks. The trade, which sent Eklund, along with prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda, to the Senators, was finalized on Tuesday. In exchange, the Sharks received the ninth overall pick in this year’s NHL draft.
The Senators had acquired this ninth pick as part of the deal that saw their former captain, Brady Tkachuk, head to the Florida Panthers. Eklund, who notched 53 points in 78 games for the Sharks last season, is now set to bring his talents to Ottawa, aiming to fill the void left by Tkachuk, who had an impressive 59 points in 60 games.
Interestingly, Eklund first got wind of the trade while attending a Pitbull concert in Stockholm. Reflecting on the move, he remarked, “That’s part of the game sometimes; it’s a business.
Everybody getting into hockey, we know how it works. I have no hard feelings for San Jose.
I wish all the guys the best of luck there.”
With the Sharks now boasting the second, ninth, and 27th overall picks in the upcoming draft, Eklund sees this transition as a chance to revitalize his career. His recent three-year, $16.8 million contract extension with the Sharks underscores his value, but he’s eager to prove even more.
“Coming to Ottawa is a big chance for me,” Eklund said. “I think I haven’t even proven myself as the best player I can be, and I really hope to take another step next year, another step the year after that to help us win more games in the (Stanley Cup) Playoffs and stuff like that.
I’m just really excited, that’s the only thing I am.”
Sharks general manager Mike Grier noted that trading Eklund wasn’t initially on the agenda. “He was someone that Ottawa zeroed in on and targeted as someone who could come in and help replace some of the production they lost with Brady,” Grier explained.
Looking ahead, Eklund could find himself skating alongside familiar faces like Fabian Zetterlund and Tim Stutzle. Zetterlund, a former Sharks teammate, joined the Senators in a trade last year. Stutzle, who led the Senators with 83 points in 80 games, could be the perfect complement to Eklund’s style, potentially reigniting Zetterlund’s game after a quieter season.
Eklund is optimistic about the opportunity to play with talents like Stutzle. “Obviously a great player,” Eklund said of Stutzle.
“He’s been a great player in this league for a while now, so if you get that opportunity, you just do the best you can with it. He’s been doing really good things with this organization and in this league for a while now.
Whoever I play with, it’s going to be a fun journey.”
As Eklund embarks on this new chapter with the Senators, fans in Ottawa have plenty to look forward to. His arrival not only bolsters their roster but also signals a commitment to building a competitive team ready to make waves in the playoffs.
In Other News...
Sharks Fans Are About To Have Feelings Over Brent Burns New Deal
Brent Burns is heading into another season with a familiar kind of spotlight, the sort that follows a player whose next move still resonates in San Jose. The long-time Sharks defenseman has carved out a career that made him one of the most recognizable figures of his era, and any time he lands a fresh contract, it tends to hit a nerve with fans who watched him become a franchise centerpiece.
His latest deal is built around a modest base salary with performance bonuses tied to games played and average ice time, a structure that suggests both flexibility and one more chance to stay in the lineup and contribute. Burns also enters the year chasing the one prize that has eluded him, and for Sharks fans, that familiar pursuit is exactly why this update is going to stir up a few feelings. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Just Made A Telling Decision About Their Blue Line
San Joses blue line is already starting to take shape, and Michael Kesselring is now part of the long-term plan. The Sharks locked up the restricted free agent defenseman on a three-year contract after acquiring him from Buffalo on June 17, a move that brought another young, NHL-tested piece into a defense group that has been in flux all offseason.
The timing matters because the Sharks do not have much certainty behind him. Kesselring, Dmitry Orlov and Sam Dickinson are the only defensemen with notable NHL experience currently signed for next season, while Shakir Mukhamadullin remains unsigned and several others are headed toward free agency or still in contract discussions. For a team still sorting out what its back end should look like, this was a pretty clear signal about which players it wants to build around. [Read more 🡒]
Former Shark Alexander Barabanov Reportedly Has A New Overseas Landing Spot
Alexander Barabanovs next stop overseas appears to be taking shape after his return to the Kontinental Hockey League following his time with the Sharks. After leaving San Jose, the winger signed a two-year deal with Ak Bars Kazan and settled back into familiar KHL territory, giving that club a veteran scorer who could still tilt a lineup with his pace and finishing touch.
Now, after 131 games in Kazan and another productive run in Russia, Barabanov is reportedly on track for a new chapter with a club trying to climb a little higher in the standings. The deal is said to carry a hefty salary and is tied to a future season, a sign that his market remains strong even as Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg continues adding pieces in hopes of finally making a deeper playoff push. [Read more 🡒]