Grading Tuesday's blockbuster NHL trades: Have Senators found their replacement for Brady Tkachuk in William Eklund?

Ottawa Senators

Landing Eklund, who's entering the first year of a three-year, $16.8M deal, gives the Senators a potential replacement for forward Brady Tkachuk. Ottawa traded the four-time All-Star to the Florida Panthers on Monday, reuniting him with his brother Matthew, a forward for the Eastern Conference squad. 

Eklund, who hasn't yet made an All-Star Game, isn't in the same class as Brady Tkachuk yet. That said, he's an ascending player.

Over his past three seasons with the Sharks, Eklund, who turns 24 on Oct. 12, scored 48 goals and tallied 108 assists. If he can maintain that pace in Ottawa, the promising forward may become one of the faces of the franchise.

Grade: B+ 

San Jose Sharks 

Led by star center Macklin Celebrini (45 goals in 2025, tied for No. 4 in NHL), the Sharks appear to be on the upswing. Last season, San Jose missed the playoffs but went 39-35-8. That marked the first time the Sharks finished above .500 since the 2018-19 season.

Wouldn't it be smarter for the Sharks to keep the roster intact instead of trading key contributors? Eklund finished fourth on the team in points this season (53, 15 goals and 38 assists, in 78 games). Halttunen, meanwhile, spent last season with the San Jose Barracuda (the team's AHL affiliate), and Svoboda starred for Boston University. We'll see how the rest of their NHL careers go. 

Landing the No. 9 pick is decent compensation. Tankathon has the Sharks taking defenseman Daxon Rudolph, but he won't play immediately. He's committed to the University of Denver this upcoming season. (Players remain eligible for college hockey if they haven't played in the NHL.) 

Grade: B- 

Washington Capitals 

Bravo, Capitals senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick. 

Kyrou, a one-time All-Star, remains one of the more productive defensive forwards in the league. This past season, he posted a career-best 44.6 Corsi Against/per 60 minutes, per Hockey Reference. Corsi Against measures shots against, misses against and blocks for. A number below 50 indicates the opposing team didn't possess the puck most of the time. 

Kyrou provided plenty of value on offense as well. He logged 378 points (168 goals and 210 assists) during his time in St. Louis. 

More importantly, Kyrou helps the Capitals prepare for life after Alex Ovechkin. The forward hasn't retired, but the clock is ticking for him, as he turns 41 on Sept. 17. Acquiring more forward depth will be imperative for Washington as the future Hall of Famer nears the end of his career. 

Grade: A- 

St. Louis Blues 

After making the playoffs during the 2024-25 season, the Blues missed the postseason last season, going 37-33-12. This package isn't enough to propel them back into championship contention. 

McMichael is coming off a decent season for the Capitals, in which he had 46 points (14 goals and 32 assists) in 78 games. Gastrin, meanwhile, played for the AHL Hershey Bears. 

On the bright side, the Blues now own four first-round picks (Nos. 11, 15, 16, and 29) in the 2026 draft. They hope to find a star among these selections.

Will No. 16 provide one? Probably not. Tankathon has St. Louis selecting Finnish center Oliver Suvanto, who turns 18 on Sept 3. Expect him to spend time in the minors before playing in the NHL. 

Grade: B-   

Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks are clearly aiming to bolster the supporting cast of center Connor Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 draft. Chicago went 29-39-14 last season, missing the playoffs for a sixth consecutive season. 

Still, Chicago may have overpaid for Byram, who has never made an All-Star Game. Sure, the one-time Stanley Cup winner provides championship pedigree, but his numbers in his final season with Buffalo were unimpressive. He scored 11 goals in 82 regular-season games and posted a 58 Corsi Against per 60 minutes (via Hockey Reference).

Adding to its potential concerns, Chicago could soon be in a contract dispute with the 2019 No. 4 overall pick. Byram is entering the last year of a two-year, $12.5M deal. He may be seeking $10M on an extension. 

Grade: B-

Buffalo Sabres 

Byram may not be elite, but it’s not a guarantee that Buffalo will find an immediate impact player with pick No. 4. Tankathon projects that the Sabres will take Swedish center Viggo Bjorck with that selection. He may remain in his country instead of making the jump to the NHL next season. 

Crevier, meanwhile, is a decent defenseman, but he’s not an upgrade over Byram. In 78 games for Chicago last season, he scored seven goals.  

Grade: B-