The San Jose Sharks may have landed the steal of the 2026 NHL Draft.
With the No. 2 overall pick Friday night, San Jose selected Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg, wasting little time adding one of the draft’s most complete prospects to a rapidly improving young core.
The selection came just one pick after the Toronto Maple Leafs took Gavin McKenna first overall, a decision that surprised EasySportz’s in-house NHL insider. While McKenna was the consensus favorite entering the draft, our evaluation had Stenberg as the top player available and the prospect who should have heard his name called first.
San Jose didn’t hesitate to capitalize.
Stenberg arrives from Sweden as an elite two-way forward with exceptional hockey sense, a polished all-around game and the ability to impact every zone. Scouts have praised his maturity, competitiveness and consistency against professional competition, making him one of the safest—and highest-upside—players in the class.
For the Sharks, the fit couldn’t be much better.
San Jose now pairs Stenberg with franchise centerpiece Macklin Celebrini, giving the organization another cornerstone as it continues one of the NHL’s most exciting rebuilds. The Sharks still own the No. 9 overall pick later in the first round, giving them another opportunity to add premium talent before the night is over.
Toronto may have made the expected pick.
San Jose may have made the better one.
