Sharks' plan for second overall hinging on seperate blockbuster involving star William Eklund
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Aaron
May 11, 2026 (9:12 PM)
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Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Head coach Ryan Warsofsky faces a massive and complicated roster dilemma involving William Eklund this offseason.
The San Jose Sharks currently hold the highly coveted second overall selection in the upcoming NHL Draft in Vegas.
Most industry scouts fully expected the organization to safely draft a blue-chip defenseman to anchor their future.
That predictable strategy might be getting completely thrown out the window as draft day approaches quickly.
Respected insider Jeff Marek dropped a major hint regarding the evolving draft floor plans in California.
He heavily suggests the Sharks might actually target a premium scoring forward at number two instead.
Adding another elite offensive talent up front still leaves a massive hole on the blue line.
This specific scenario is precisely where Eklund enters the conversation as prime offseason trade bait.
The skilled Swedish winger was drafted seventh overall in 2021 and carries significant league-wide appeal.
Eklund's track record makes him perfect target for many teams
Generating 55 points this past season proved his offensive output translates perfectly to the Show.
Both contending teams and rebuilding squads are actively searching for that exact level of playmaking ability.
San Jose could easily flip his current contract to secure the established, top-pairing defender this roster lacks.
It is undeniably a massive risk to move promising homegrown talent just as they find NHL confidence.
But the management group simply cannot endure another brutal 82-game season of getting heavily outshot every single night.
Sacrificing a popular young forward might be the harsh reality required to finally fix the defensive structure.
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