The Ottawa Senators just made their second major move in this offseason on Tuesday, June 23. They got Swedish forward William Eklund from the San Jose Sharks. They got back the ninth overall pick in exchange for this Friday's NHL Draft. 

Along with Eklund, Ottawa also received Kasper Halttunen and the rights to another unsigned player, Brandon Svoboda.

This deal just came in two days after the Senators sent away their captain, Brady Tkachuk, to the Florida Panthers in return for three first-round picks and a second-round selection.

Even their General manager, Steve Staios, immediately put that draft capital to use, flipping the Panthers' own first-round pick this year to bring in one of San Jose's most consistent forwards.

Eklund now carries a contract worth $5.6 million annually through the 2028-29 season, meaning the Senators control him through the heart of what they're building. Other than the contract, there was another factor that worked in Eklund's favor.

Eklund and Senators winger Fabian Zetterlund, both Swedish players, have developed a genuine friendship during their two-and-a-half seasons together in San Jose. Zetterlund was then traded to Ottawa at the 2025 trade deadline.

According to NHL.com, the two were together in the sauna when the news broke.

"He's family for me, his family is my family. We hang out. We have Christmas together," Eklund said at the time.

For Ottawa, this trade is a big deal. Eklund made 38 assists last season and would have ranked third on the Senators, right behind Tim Stützle and Jake Sanderson.

His two-way game and relentless competitiveness can give the Senators a perfect forward to absorb the loss with Tkachuk's departure, and the fans are already celebrating the news.

A Swedish reunion that fans had been waiting for

Fans who had followed both players in San Jose were quick to react to this situation. A fan is excited about the on-ice chemistry of the duo that will make the Senators more entertaining to watch.

"Finally, Zetterlund and Eklund are back together on the Senators. Gonna be awesome watching them," he wrote.

A fan thinks they discovered a special code or secret formula that makes them click as teammates.

"Guess the Swedish duo finally cracked the secret handshake that works on the ice," another wrote.

"This is a family matter," a third wrote simply, referring to how Eklund himself described their friendship. The duo has been close friends for about three and a half years,

Staios' previous trade with San Jose GM Mike Grier for Zetterlund proved disappointing, but Eklund is viewed as a player of much higher quality, as reported by Alex Adams of Sportsnet.

"It's crazy how much aura the senators have gained in the past 24 hours with the Brady trade & getting Eklund," one fan posted.

The Senators still hold the 25th and 32nd overall picks before Friday's first round, along with other additional selections in the later rounds.

What do you think of their decision to add William Eklund? Let us know in the comments.

Read more at NHL Fan Central.

Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar