What top pick Ivar Stenberg's 2026 Rookie Faceoff performance means for Sharks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
- Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
It’s always hard to use the Rookie Faceoff as a measuring stick for immediate NHL impact.
The difference in the level of competition — the Rookie Faceoff might be between NCAA-to-AHL caliber? — is just too wide.
So what’s that mean for top Sharks prospect Ivar Stenberg? Can he help the big club this year? San Jose Hockey Now spoke with multiple NHL scouts about their impressions of Stenberg at the Rookie Faceoff.
The No. 2 overall pick of the 2026 NHL Draft had two goals in the games, both in an 8-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
San Jose Barracuda head coach John McCarthy offered a smart yardstick.
Last Rookie Faceoff, Collin Graf was something of a surprise inclusion of the Sharks roster, after a successful rookie campaign split between the NHL and AHL.
How did Graf use the rookie tournament as a runway to a breakout 21-goal campaign with the Sharks?
“He was the best player in the tournament,” McCarthy said. “He took advantage of it. He came in with the right attitude and wanted to show everybody that he was the best player on the ice, and it worked.”
Granted, last September, Graf was five years older than Stenberg is now, with a lot more North American pro experience.
Nonetheless, that’s a good barometer for any prospect in a tournament like this, and not getting ahead of ourselves about what the Rookie Faceoff means: They should dominate a tournament like this.
For what it’s worth, Macklin Celebrini did the same in 2024.
“I thought Macklin was uber-competitive,” McCarthy said then. “I re-watched the game [he played], every loose puck, he’s inside, he’s winning.”
And while Stenberg did not overwhelm scouts, he did impress them.
“Obvious skill,” Scout No. 1 said. “Probably tried to do too much at times, but the games were so sloppy.”
“I thought he looked really good,” Scout No. 2 said. “Made a lot of plays.”
“He’s young,” Scout No. 3 said, and not as a compliment.
The 5-foot-11 winger definitely held the puck for too long and tried plays that weren’t there, I think normal for a youthful player getting used to the small North American rink. He did show a defensive conscience, which bodes well for him to earn minutes as a rookie.
The question is how Stenberg processes all that for his next test, an NHL preseason. Sharks training camp opens on Sept. 17. He’ll need to pick up his pace if he wants to keep up with the fastest league in the world.
Stenberg showed enough in the Rookie Faceoff that the rest of the league wants to see what he’s got against a bigger challenge.
“Excited to see him in an NHL environment,” Scout No. 1 said.
“Will do better with better players,” Scout No. 2 said. “He should be ready to play this season.”
Stenberg’s biggest challenge could be a much deeper Sharks roster with bigger things in mind than their eighth straight NHL draft lottery appearance.
“I’m not sure if he gets the same opportunity and leash as Smith and Misa got their first year,” Scout No. 1 said.
2023 No. 4 pick Will Smith and 2025 No. 2 pick Michael Misa were afforded more NHL playing time in their respective rookie campaigns, in part because the Sharks weren’t expected to make the playoffs.
These Sharks, after adding expensive veterans Darnell Nurse, Jacob Trouba and Mason Marchment over the summer, are expecting to return to the postseason.
They’re also stocked with offense at wing, headlined by Smith, Marchment, Graf, Igor Chernyshov, Kiefer Sherwood, Tyler Toffoli and Adam Gaudette.
“Team is deeper and they’re going to be looking to take the next step,” Scout No. 1 said. “Not as easy to develop on the fly at the NHL level, when playoffs are the priority.”
No scouts were willing to commit to Stenberg surpassing 50 points during the 2026-27 NHL season.
“Hard to say on points,” Scout No. 2 said. “Depending on where they fit him. They do have depth, so no need to rush him.”
