Sharks select Ivar Stenberg No. 2 overall in 2026 NHL Draft
Another big name is off the board.
On Friday night, the San Jose Sharks selected forward Ivar Stenberg, 18, with the second overall pick of the 2026 NHL Draft at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.
Stenberg entered this year’s draft with a lot of pomp and circumstance. While some wondered if the Swedish winger was going to eclipse Gavin McKenna as the top prospect heading into the event, there’s no denying the type of impact he can make in his new digs. He was the No. 2 prospect on Daily Faceoff analyst Steven Ellis‘ final rankings, as well as NHL Central Scouting’s top European skater.
Stenberg is coming off his first full season in the Swedish Hockey League with Frölunda HC. In 43 games, he scored 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points, finishing tied for fourth on the team in scoring. He scored the most assists and points by a junior, and was named Årets Junior as the best junior hockey player in Sweden. His efforts helped Frölunda finish second in the league, though the team was shockingly eliminated by Luleå HF in the quarterfinals. Stenberg added four assists in the series.
In the midst of all that, Stenberg was part of the Frölunda team that won the Champions Hockey League. He posted three points in 12 games during the tournament.
From there, the Stenungsund native joined his country on the international stage. He made an impressive debut at the IIHF Men’s World Championship in Switzerland, scoring four goals and eight points in eight games, good for third on Sweden in points. Yet, the Swedes were ultimately knocked out in the quarters by the host nation.
It was far from Stenberg’s first taste of hockey on the world stage. He helped Sweden win the bronze medal at the 2023 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge and 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, leading both tournaments in goals. With Stenberg, Sweden also took home the silver at the 2024 World Junior A Challenge and 2025 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship. Then, his 10 points helped drive Sweden to gold at the IIHF World Junior Championship this past January.
There’s so much skill in Stenberg’s game that he has become one of the more entertaining prospects to watch. Great vision and awareness make him exceptional at both ends of the rink, and his wicked shot has made him a talented goal scorer throughout his junior career.