The trade of Brady Tkachuk by the Ottawa Senators to the Florida Panthers is a large transaction that’s going to have an effect on the team for at the least the subsequent two seasons, and possibly quite a bit longer than that. The Senators swallowed hard after they made the trade that provides Tkachuk the chance to play along with his brother Matthew on a franchise that won the Stanley Cup in 2024 and ’25. While injuries kept the Panthers from playing postseason hockey last 12 months, they can be among the many favorites when the 2026-27 gets underway.
The Sens picked up the No. 9 and 25 picks within the upcoming NHL Draft together with a No. 1 pick within the 2029 draft and a second-round pick in 2027. Team president and general manager Steve Staios has already made his first move when he traded the No. 9 pick that he received from Florida to San Jose for forward William Eklund, forward Kasper Halttunen and rights to defenseman Brandon Svoboda.
The 23-year-old Eklund is the middle piece of this deal and he has already played three full seasons with the Sharks together with parts of two others.
Eklund isn’t an enormous man at 5-10 and 185 kilos, but he’s a player on the rise who has put together solid seasons in each of the past two years. He scored 17 goals and added 41 assists in 2024-25 that included 6 power play goals. He followed that up with 15 goals and 38 assists last season.
Eklund has offensive skills and can tackle a brand new role with the Sens
Eklund has great offensive know-how, but he’s more more likely to pass than shoot the puck. He has a wonderful left-handed shot, and the Sens may give you the chance to persuade him to shoot the puck a little bit more as he takes on the role of first-line left wing. He’s more likely to find himself on the left side of Tim Stutzle with Fabian Zetterlund on the precise side.
Probably the most noticeable asset to Eklund’s game is his skating ability. He has loads of speed, but he also has great balance and surprising strength on his skates. He can keep the puck away from greater defenders when he hits full speed and win the battle for the puck within the corners. Those are a few the explanations that he has a probability to go from being a productive young player right into a star. He clearly has some work to do if he’s going to get there, but he has the tools to enhance.
Halttunen and Svoboda are prospects who’ve a probability to be competitive within the foreseeable future. The 21-year-old Hartunen is an enormous man with size, strength and a robust shot. While his skating must get well, he’s an aggressive man when battling for the puck within the corners.
Svoboda has the abilities to develop into a legitimate NHL defenseman and the 21-year-old looks like he can be a greater asset on the defensive side of the ice. Nevertheless, he could make a crisp first pass and might carry the puck out of trouble.
McTavish and DeBrusk amongst possible trade targets
The acquisition of Eklund is a solid opening move for the Senators to make after trading Tkachuk, but it surely mustn’t be the one addition they make before the beginning of the upcoming season. They may have been Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues, but he was traded to the Washington Capitals Tuesday. The Sens are going to should look elsewhere if they’re going to herald additional talent.
Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Geese is a solid young player who is simply going to get well. The 23-year-old has been the topic of trade rumors since last summer, and the Ontario native can be a solid fit for the Sens. He had 17 goals and 24 assists last season, so there’s clearly room for his production to enhance.
He has excellent offensive instincts, and he isn’t afraid to enter the dirty areas and get his shot off or create scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Jake DeBrusk is a solid veteran who has proven he can put the puck in the online throughout his profession with the Boston Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks. The 29-year-old scored 23 goals last season, and he has potted 20 goals or more five times in his nine years within the league.
DeBrusk has good speed and a knack for scoring goals, but he usually runs cold and warm. He can rating goals in bunches after which go weeks without with the ability to drive the puck into the online.
Adding DeBrusk to the lineup is usually a positive move, however the Senators have to be prepared that while he can rating some eye-opening goals, he isn’t probably the most consistent goal scorer.
The trade of Brady Tkachuk by the Ottawa Senators to the Florida Panthers is a large transaction that’s going to have an effect on the team for at the least the subsequent two seasons, and possibly quite a bit longer than that. The Senators swallowed hard after they made the trade that provides Tkachuk the chance to play along with his brother Matthew on a franchise that won the Stanley Cup in 2024 and ’25.