The San Jose Sharks have selected Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg with the second-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. This choice comes on the heels of a trade that sent scoring winger William Eklund to the Ottawa Senators. That move cleared the space to move Stenberg into the NHL right away, a goal the young winger is set up for after his contract with the SHL’s Frolunda HC expired this season.
Stenberg was an important part of Frolunda’s roster, which finished second in the SHL but lost in the first round of the playoffs. The young winger reached 33 points in 43 games, the third-most of any draft-age player in SHL history behind only Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. Stenberg was a top-line winger at the World Championship, where he ranked third on Team Sweden in scoring with eight points in eight games.
Stenberg is a premier play-driver who could pick up exactly where Eklund left off. He excelled at pushing pucks through the neutral zone and prolonging chances on offense. Stenberg keeps his head up, scanning for options, and reacts quickly in the face of pressure. He is also capable as a support option, with the hard shot and slot scoring needed to finish off chances started by his teammates. Those traits should all lead to exciting performances next to Sharks stars like Macklin Celebrini, Michael Misa, and Will Smith.
More to come…
