BUFFALO — The San Jose Sharks, no doubt, were big winners during the first round of the 2026 draft.
We’ll see when it leads to be being big winners on the ice.
The San Jose Sharks selected winger Ivar Stenberg at No. 2, defenseman Keaton Verhoeff at No. 9, and defenseman Ryan Lin at No. 21.
What did an NHL scout, not with the Sharks, think of the picks?
None of these picks were used to address next year’s Sharks’ most glaring need, their blueline, but Stenberg, Verhoeff, and Lin are all excellent prospects. Verhoeff and Lin were strong value choices, where they were selected.
And of course, the draft is not about today, it’s about tomorrow. But it’s worth noting that the widely-held belief is that the San Jose Sharks acquired the No. 9 pick from the Ottawa Senators, in exchange for young winger William Eklund, to try to deal for a young-but-experienced high-impact NHL defenseman.
That deal didn’t materialize, though GM Mike Grier admitted that San Jose took one offer for No. 2, which included an established NHL player coming back to the Sharks, under “strong consideration”.
Anyway, 20-something high-impact blueliners don’t grow on trees, so if you can’t find the right trade, drafting at No. 2 or 9 or 21 is no small consolation prize.
The scout raved about Stenberg, “He’s a complete player.”
