Overview
- Ivar Stenberg signed the three-year entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, making him the first 2026 draftee the club has put under an NHL deal.
- Stenberg arrives with strong pro and international credentials after an 11-goal, 33-point season for Frölunda HC in the SHL and a 10-point World Junior tournament that helped Sweden win gold.
- San Jose opened roster space before the draft and team staff said Stenberg could compete for a top-nine role this fall, with projections placing him on the wing in a sheltered third-line role to start.
- The Sharks plan to continue converting 2026 draft assets into contracts, with reports identifying ninth-overall pick Keaton Verhoeff as the next likely signing target.
- A standard three-year entry-level deal for an 18-year-old keeps Stenberg on a controlled development path in the NHL system and speeds the club’s broader youth-driven rebuild anchored by players like Macklin Celebrini.