The San Jose Sharks have signed Ivar Stenberg to an entry-level contract.
Terms were not disclosed.
“I’m just super-thankful and super-excited to be a Shark,” Stenberg said.
The 5-foot-11 winger, the No. 2 pick of the 2026 Draft, is expected to compete for a spot in the San Jose Sharks’ top-nine next year.
“There’s no doubt,” Sharks director of player development Todd Marchant said about Stenberg’s NHL-readiness. Though he cautioned, “there’s a curve that each player has to go through.”
Stenberg did nothing to shake the Sharks’ confidence in development camp.
While San Jose Barracuda head coach John McCarthy didn’t want to go as far as declare Stenberg NHL-ready right away, he did explain how both Stenberg and 2024 No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini separated themselves in their first development camps.
“Making plays in small, tight areas,” McCarthy said. “They can obviously separate with their speed, with their feet, create time and space with their hands. Smart players that see the ice well and make a lot of really good plays.”
Of course, it’s one thing for Stenberg to dominate a fellow 18-year-old in dev camp, it’s another thing for him to go up against a Norris Trophy winner like Victor Hedman in the NHL. What makes McCarthy confident that Stenberg should be able to translate immediately?
“He’s doing it at such a high level [in development camp],” McCarthy said, “that you can see the upside.”
Stenberg spoke on what he’s going to work on to get ready for the San Jose Sharks this fall, his excitement to play with Macklin Celebrini, and if he prefers playing on left or right wing.
Ivar Stenberg, on chatting with fellow San Jose Sharks prospect and 2026 World Juniors teammate Leo Sahlin Wallenius:
We talked a little bit before the Draft, and for sure after the Draft, he sent me some texts and messages, told me everything was good here.
Stenberg, on what excites him about playing with Celebrini:
Everything. He’s one of the best in the world.
Stenberg, on how he’s getting ready for the NHL:
Prepare as good as I can, be stronger, faster, work hard on and off the ice.
I train in [Gothenburg], I don’t know yet, maybe come over a little bit earlier.
We have a pretty good group, some NHL guys. I train with my brother everyday, we keep pushing each other and make each other better everyday.
Stenberg, on if he prefers left or right wing:
I would say left, but it doesn’t matter. I feel like I can play on both.
Stenberg, on something that he’s better at than older brother Otto Stenberg, something Otto is better at:
He’s so much stronger, and I maybe [stickhandle] a little better.
Stenberg, on where he’ll live in San Jose this fall:
I think they’re working on it. We’ll see what happens.
