Sharks Retool Blue Line But Trade Away Eklund in Risky Summer

The Sharks took a step forward in 2025-26, climbing to 86 points and fifth in the Pacific, but they mortgaged a young forward to shore up the blue line. Trading William Eklund for the ninth overall pick is a gamble on the draft over a known commodity, and the additions of Darnell Nurse and Jacob Trouba bring experience but also age and salary.

Last season in review

Macklin Celebrini delivered a 115-point sophomore season (45 goals, 70 assists) that announced him as a franchise cornerstone. Will Smith added 59 points in his second year, and Alexander Wennberg chipped in 55. The Sharks scored 251 goals but allowed 292, a minus-41 differential that kept them out of the playoffs. Yaroslav Askarov posted a 21-20-4 record with an .884 save percentage, a workload that showed promise but numbers that need improvement.

Ins and outs

• Out: William Eklund (traded to Ottawa for the 9th overall pick in 2026)
• In: Darnell Nurse (acquired from Edmonton)
• In: Jacob Trouba (signed as a free agent)
• In: Michael Kesselring and the 27th overall pick (acquired from Buffalo)
• In: Andre Gasseau (signed to a two-year contract)
• In: Ivar Stenberg (signed to an entry-level contract)
• In: Tye Felhaber (signed as a free agent)
• In: Libor Hajek (signed to a one-year, two-way contract)

The big question

Did the Sharks give up on Eklund too soon? The 23-year-old winger was a lottery pick in 2021 and had shown flashes, but San Jose opted to cash him in for another lottery ticket. If Eklund blossoms in Ottawa while the ninth pick takes years to develop, this trade will haunt them.

X-factor

Yaroslav Askarov. The 24-year-old goaltender has the talent to be a true number one, but his .884 save percentage last season was below the league average. If he can push that mark above .900 and steal a few extra games, the Sharks could challenge for a wild card. If he stagnates, the defense additions won't matter.

Bold prediction

The Sharks will finish fourth in the Pacific and grab the second wild card spot. Celebrini will crack 120 points, and the veteran blue line will cut goals against to under 270.

The outlook

San Jose is betting that Nurse and Trouba can stabilize a porous defense while Celebrini and Smith continue to ascend. The Eklund trade is the wildcard: it could look brilliant if the ninth pick pans out, or it could be the move that cost them a playoff run. The roster is better on paper, but the margin for error is thin. This is a team that should be in the hunt come March, but only if Askarov takes a leap and the new defensemen mesh quickly.