The 2026 NHL Draft will be here before we know it. In this piece, we’re diving into four key debates.
The San Jose Sharks were fortunate in May’s draft lottery, moving up seven spots to the second-overall pick. While the consensus is that the Toronto Maple Leafs will select Penn State University winger Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 pick, the debate for the Sharks is a lot more contentious.
One side is in favor of winger Ivar Stenberg, who had a historical run in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). With 33 points in 43 games, that beat out 2023 second-overall pick Leo Carlsson’s 25 points in 44 games, for comparison. Carlsson, mind you, had 67 points in 70 NHL games this season.
Sweden forward Ivar Stenberg is all smiles after defeating Czechia in the final of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship (Nick Wosika-Imagn Images)
With the Sharks lacking on the blue line both now and in the long term, another faction wants to draft right-shot defenseman Chase Reid. His numbers aren’t as impressive, boasting a still-very-good 48 points in 45 games in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this season, but the skill set is what’s truly exciting. An excellent skater, puck-handler, shooter, passer, and play-driver, Reid has franchise potential.
Online, I’ve seen more vocal support for Stenberg recently. Despite having Macklin Celebrini, William Eklund, Michael Misa, and Will Smith at forward—a formidable core—you don’t pass on a player of Stenberg’s caliber for any reason. Especially when doing so could give Western Conference rival Connor Bedard an elite winger to share the ice with (his Chicago Blackhawks draft fourth overall).
Personally, I’m rooting for the Sharks to take Reid. He’s my No. 1-ranked player in the class, so the conversation basically ends there for me. But also, having a defenseman who is as skilled and reliable on the puck as Reid could be really valuable for San Jose. I think the fit here is fantastic, filling the Sharks’ last true hole.
The consensus top center in the 2026 NHL Draft is Caleb Malhotra—he’s being projected to go third overall to the Vancouver Canucks. But he didn’t even make the top five on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings for North American skaters. Plus, in what is arguably a weaker center class than usual, there are plenty of guys being projected in the top 15. Is the position being overrated?