Confirmed Trade: [OTT/SJS] William Eklund, Kasper Halttunen, Brandon Svoboda for 2026 FLA 1st round pick (9th overall)

[LiseL]

This trade almost guarantees they're taking Stenberg, so they'll probably just target one of the secondary D in Verhoeff/Smits/Rudolph/Gustafsson with the 9th OVR pick.

Stenberg is good enough to step in and put up 50P next season for the Sharks, so it's not like they got a lot worse and have to trade #9 for a player.

Or they could trade # 9 & 27 to move up in the draft.

 

[Patty Ice]

The problem I have with Halttunen is that he has a great shot but can’t get it off. He has two things going for him, which are his shot and his size/physcality. But if he can’t actually get his shot off, then there’s nothing he really brings to the table. The defense and puck management aren’t good enough to give him a clear-cut role on the fourth line. So he’s basically a lite version of this year’s Patrik Laine if, and it’s still a remote chance, he even hits that upside.

This

For all the talk about his shot, it's a one trick pony of a one trick pony. It's not especially accurate nor is it especially quick. But if you setup for a one timer in the slot, you'll be hard pressed to find someone better.

He is a great and likable kid and I would love to see him succeed. I just have extreme doubts he does.

 

[Michoulicious]

That or they take a D at 9 if can’t make a deal.

Rudolph/etc won't have an impact for quite a few years. I think they want to take a step next season and they need a D

 

[Dead Coyote]

If you think Halttunen is anything but a maybe-fourth liner, your Knights bias is showing.

He has a lot left to do but stylistically is nowhere close to Stefan Noesen. The problems he has isn't that he has no talent, it's that his toolbox isn't good enough for the NHL. A Noesen type career would probably be good for Haltunnen at this point but stylistically they're just different players and that's what I meant. He's always been a top six or bust type of player. Looks a lot more like a bust right now but he is still young.

 

[Juxtaposer]

He has a lot left to do but stylistically is nowhere close to Stefan Noesen. The problems he has isn't that he has no talent, it's that his toolbox isn't good enough for the NHL. A Noesen type career would probably be good for Haltunnen at this point but stylistically they're just different players and that's what I meant. He's always been a top six or bust type of player. Looks a lot more like a bust right now but he is still young.

Gotcha, okay that makes a lot more sense.

 

[CanadienShark]

Thanks I f***ing hate it. At least this means we're taking Stenberg for sure.

 

[Karelia Hurricanes]

Eklund is a 7th overall pick and he's already has over 200 NHL games so that even better then 9th! and he's only 23 still improving his game

Also, we can always just sign Arvidsson anyway. Having two top 6 forwards is nice.

 

[LiseL]

Nice trade for San Jose — fits their timeline very well. I bet Rudolph or Carels are their targets for 9th.

Didn’t Eklund have a nasty wrist injury last year?

Yes according to some SJ fans, and he still put up 53 points. Some also said he was playing a shutdown role which will not be the case in Ottawa. He will certainly be given the opportunity to improve his offensive output.

 

[LiseL]

Ottawa loading up on all these Swedes for the inevitable return of one Eric Karlsson.

Or pickleball opponents for Asst Coach Alfredsson.

 

[Zalos]

Seems like a pretty even/fair deal for both teams.

Hoping San Jose get someone good with the 9th.

 

[57special]

SJS... has a lot of options at the draft, or possibly in trade for a player?

 

[Grinner]

Nice trade for San Jose — fits their timeline very well. I bet Rudolph or Carels are their targets for 9th.

Didn’t Eklund have a nasty wrist injury last year?

Got sliced by a skate

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

Yes according to some SJ fans, and he still put up 53 points. Some also said he was playing a shutdown role which will not be the case in Ottawa. He will certainly be given the opportunity to improve his offensive output.

He was injured according to only some people?

what does that even mean

 

[SpezDispenser]

He was injured according to only some people?

what does that even mean

Just search it, he had his wrist sliced by a skate

 

[SensFactor]

Not sure this is a particular strong draft at all....9th overall pick for Eklund and some B prospects seems fair for both sides

 

[SanJoseRedditor]

Yeah, not much of a fan of this trade. With Byram and Nemec moved, there's not a whole lot of NHL ready defensemen left that he would move the 9 for.

 

[Patty Ice]

Not sure this is a particular strong draft at all....9th overall pick for Eklund and some B prospects seems fair for both sides

C and D prospects. Eklund is a great get though. We haven't seen the best of him yet.

 

[99ovr]

Just watched some Eklund highlights and am highly impressed. No reason why he can't be a PPG+ player

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

Just search it, he had his wrist sliced by a skate

uh huh and how is that only an injury to some

 

[PuckFegula]

Yeah, not much of a fan of this trade. With Byram and Nemec moved, there's not a whole lot of NHL ready defensemen left that he would move the 9 for.

I also don’t like moving Eklund before it’s a problem- “oh no, our top 6 is gonna have too much talent, ah!” I get it, you want a bigger body in that mix and maybe a different salary timeline, but you move Eklund for that piece directly. Timo Meier has to be steeply discounted, for example. Or trade him for a dman and sign Mantha. Flawed players, both, but you know what they are vs whatever magic they wanna work with pick #9.

 

[DingDongCharlie]

Senators gonna add Jason Robertson, Mason McTavish, Alexis Lafrienere, Jake DeBrusk, Jordan Kyrou, Jake DeBrusk, and William Eklund all in the same summer

Kyrou’s out but you can have both Jake DeBrusk still. I won’t pop that dream

 

[hockfan1991]

This seems bad for Ottawa. Isn't Eklund just an undersized 60 point winger? These guys grow on trees

53 point winger

 

[HockeyWooot]

Fair trade.

Like this for SJS, likely taking Stenberg at 2OA and banking there will be a dman available at 9OA

 

[SpezDispenser]

uh huh and how is that only an injury to some

Oh, i see. No idea

 

[KevinRedkey]

53 point winger

Pace of 62pts two years ago (when he didn't have a hand injury)

But you're not wrong I guess.

I'd bet he hits 60+ if he can stay healthy though.