William Eklund trade grades: Who won Sharks and Senators deal?

In a week full of some crazy NHL deals -- see the Brady Tkachuk trade and the big Simon Nemec swap -- we've got another one: talented young winger William Eklund is being shipped to the Ottawa Senators. The San Jose Sharks are getting at top-10 pick back in the swap at Friday's 2026 NHL Draft. WOW.

>It's an intriguing deal on both sides as the Sharks continue to build around a young core that includes Maclin Celebrini and Will Smith, but what about Eklund? Apparently, he wasn't in the cards.

>So who won this deal? What are the details? As always, let's break it down and hand out grades to the Sharks and Senators:

Senators and Sharks trade detailsSharks get: 2026 first-round draft pick (No. 9 overall)

>Senators get: F William Eklund, F Kasper Halttunen and C Brandon Svoboda

Senators trade gradeWOW. Ottawa loses Brady Tkachuk and replaces him with a player who feels like one with more room to grow. Eklund comes off back-to-back 50-point seasons, and he'll be 24 this year after he was the seventh overall pick in 2021.

>Maybe the Sens don't feel they're going to get a win-now player at No. 9, so they went with a young, emerging talent instead and filled up the farm team with Halttunen (not a top prospect) and Svoboda. But the focus here is Eklund. If he can fully reach his potential, this will be a pretty good trade... as long as the No. 9 pick isn't a game-changer. GRADE: B+

Sharks trade gradeHmmm. Was Eklund and his $5.6 million AAV too much for a player who maybe isn't living up to his potential? And maybe the No. 9 pick is a cheaper way to fill his spot? That's my thinking here. Perhaps it's freeing up cap space to make a run at some vets to help the Sharks take the next step. I just was surprised the franchise gave up on Eklund. But if they become a postseason team for the first time in years, it'll be worth it. GRADE: B

>This article originally appeared on For The Win: William Eklund trade grades for Sharks and Senators deal