Rangers landing William Eklund would be a huge gift for New York's retool

The New York Rangers chances of landing a difference-making superstar this offseason looks rather slim. The free agency class is weak, and the team received the fifth-overall pick after losing out on the first and second picks in the NHL Draft Lottery. A quick solution for the Rangers to get out of the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings isn't really available for them, so it could take some time.

There was some hope that the Rangers could try to move up from the No. 5 spot in the first round. The San Jose Sharks are reportedly open to trading the second-overall pick, but it could come at a high price. Additionally, new reporting indicates that the Sharks don't want to move past the No. 4 spot, which is currently held by the Chicago Blackhawks. Look, teams rarely trade Top 5 picks in the draft, so it was always going to be a tall task for Drury.

But maybe the Sharks can still provide the Rangers with some assistance. It may not be a star, but it could be a young forward that can slot into their top six for the foreseeable future.

William Eklund listed as potential trade target for Rangers by The Athletic

The Athletic released a new mock draft on Monday which featured input from some of their team beat reporters. Eric Stephens, who covers the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings, was tasked with drafting for the Sharks with the second-overall pick. During this, Stephens had the Sharks and the Rangers making a mock trade, with San Jose sending over winger William Eklund and New York trading them defenseman Braden Schneider and a high third-round draft pick.

"Moving this pick for an instant upgrade in the defense corps was seriously explored. The aim was high in terms of proven blueliners with plenty of term left on their deals. The trade packages didn’t quite come together, so going with the super-skilled [Ivar] Stenberg allowed me to deal William Eklund to the Rangers for right-shooting Braden Schneider and the best of New York’s four third-round picks to replace one San Jose doesn’t have," writes Stephens. "Schneider, 24, is young enough to grow with the Sharks’ young core. Losing Eklund was tough, but the bet is that Stenberg is advanced enough to help immediately while having a bigger offensive upside when San Jose is ready to contend for the Stanley Cup."

This does feel like good deal for both teams. The Sharks have been looking for a defenseman, and Schneider does make sense as a target. Additionally, he is a restricted free agent this summer, and it's not entirely a given that the Rangers are going to give him a new deal. That then allows the Rangers to get a forward in Eklund.

Eklund was the Shark's first-round pick back in 2021, arriving before the likes of Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Michael Misa. So, he does fall under the radar in terms of their forward group. But let's not forget that eventually, the Sharks will have to extend Celebrini, who is going to cost a fortune considering how quickly he established himself not only as the face of the franchise in San Jose, but also as one of the league's top young stars. Smith is also due for a new deal around the same time as Celebrini. If the Sharks are to use the second-overall pick on ether Stenberg or Caleb Malhotra, that crowds their top six forward group, and Eklund could very well be the one who lose out on a spot.

Ever since he received his first full shot as a starter in the 2023-24 season, and has consistently produced over 45 points a year. This past season, Eklund recorded 15 goals and 38 assists in 78 games played. One of his 15 goals was, quite possibly, the goal of the year, when he knocked in his own rebound in midair to score against the Boston Bruins.

The Athletic's Vince Mercogliano and Peter Baugh explored some buy-low trade targets for the Rangers this offseason in their latest article. One forward they mentioned was Eklund, considering how deep of a forward group San Jose currently has, with the possibility they draft a forward with the second-overall pick.

"The Rangers are believed to be among the teams that have inquired about the Sharks’ No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft, but if San Jose holds it and adds another top forward prospect, others could become expendable in a trade for a defenseman (e.g., New York’s Braden Schneider). Eklund is near the top of that list with three years left on a contract that annually pays $5.6 million, but the Sharks have less-established prospects up front — such as Filip Bystedt, Igor Chernyshov and Quentin Musty — who could also enter the conversation."

Fans are still waiting to see what exactly Drury has planned for his retool plan. While a superstar looks to be out of reach, maybe getting a young scorer like Eklund could be something he explores this offseason.

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