This one hurts. The San Jose Sharks have traded Fabian Zetterlund to the Ottawa Senators. The deal includes Tristen Robins and a fourth-round going to the Senators for prospect Zach Ostapchuk, Noah Gregor and a 2025 second round pick. It was first reported by Bruce Garrioch of the Postmedia.
Confirmed deal will be: Fabian Zetterlund, Tristen Robins and a 4th rounder for Ostapchuk, Noah Gregor and a second #Sens https://t.co/ZOzxzt99QV
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) March 7, 2025
Zetterlund was a piece from the trade that sent Timo Meier to the New Jersey Devils. The 25-year-old forward had 36 points in 64 games for the Sharks this season and was a plus-8. He has 17 goals and is likely to break 20 goals this season. Zetterlund was excellent for the Sharks last season, playing all 82 games for the Sharks and scoring 44 points. The Senators need scoring, so Zetterlund will make an instant impact.
Meantime, Robins had fallen out of favor with the Sharks’ management. That, of course, has a lot to do with key additions to the prospect pool in the last few season. Fear the Fin had Robins just making the cut in our Top 25 Sharks Under 25 list last season, coming in at 25 and the only reason he made the list at all was because players like Ty Emberson and David Edstrom were traded just before out list came out.
Robins has played with the San Jose Barracuda for the entirety of this season. He had 18 points in 41 games.
What the Sharks received in return
As for the return, there is a familiar face. Noah Gregor departed on not great terms in 2023 after a season with the Sharks that didn’t do him any favors. It was in 2023 that General Manager Mike Grier decided not to make Gregor a qualifying offer and let the forward explore free agency. Gregor has bounced around since then. He had a one year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2023-24 and now has a one year deal with the Senators/Sharks for $850,000. He has six points in 40 games with the Senators.
The Sharks also receive a 2025 second round pick, which could be mid-second round depending on where the Senators finish this season.
What we know about Zach Ostapchuk
And then there’s the big name (?) associated with this deal. Ostapchuk is 21 years old. He is a 6-foot-4, 212 pound center who was drafted 39th overall in 2021. According to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, Ostapchuk was the third best prospect in Ottawa’s prospect pool. Of course, take that with a grain of salt because Wheeler also had the Senators’ prospect pool listed as the 27th best in the NHL.
He’s a “pro-style, straight lines, honest fourth-liner with good speed and length,” according to Wheeler. Who also believes Ostapchuk has a high-ceiling and a low floor.
Interestingly, Wheeler singled out “… I like his potential to become a lesser version of the type of player that Barclay Goodrow was to the Cup-winning Tampa Bay Lightning. His effort and execution are always consistent. He’s always engaged and applying pressure with the puck to attack, or without it to try to force opposing players into rushed decisions or come up with a steal. He drives the net extremely well in control with his plus-level skating and length in puck protection. He always seems to win his races.”
Fans who remember what Goodrow was like before he was traded to Tampa Bay might like what they get.
Ostapchuk has played 43 games this season and has four points, including one goal. He has a career total of 50 NHL games. When he was traded, he was playing for the Belleville Senators. He has 11 points in 15 games with the Belleville this season and wore an “A” for the team.
