Stenberg top International skater ahead of 2026 NHL Draft

Ivar Stenberg, a left wing with Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League, is No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of International skaters for the 2026 NHL Draft.

Central Scouting released its final rankings of the top International skaters and goaltenders on Thursday, as well as the top North American skaters and goaltenders. Penn State freshman forward Gavin McKenna is No. 1 among North American skaters.

The draft will be held at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on June 26-27. The NHL Draft Lottery to determine the first 16 picks is May 5.

Stenberg (5-foot-11, 183 pounds) also was No. 1 in the midterm ranking released in January. The 18-year-old had 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 43 games for Frolunda, the most points in a season by an 18-year-old SHL player since Daniel Sedin (42) and Henrik Sedin (34) in 1998-99.

"He's exceptionally smart," NHL Director of European Scouting Jukka-Pekka Vuorinen said. "High hockey IQ, elite awareness and decision-making. He's a highly skilled playmaker/scorer hybrid, able to drive offense and finish. He also has a great two-way reliability, makes strong defensive reads, and has an effective retrieval and disruption game."

RANKINGS: International skaters | International goalies | North American skaters | North American goalies

Stenberg helped Sweden win the gold medal at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, tying for the team lead with 10 points (four goals, six assists) in seven games, including a goal and two assists in a 4-2 win against Czechia in the gold medal game.

His play to set up the game-winning goal put his skill set on full display. Stenberg entered the offensive zone with speed, lost the puck in the left corner, recovered it, circled back across the top of the zone, held off two Czechia defenders and fed Sacha Boumedienne (Winnipeg Jets) for a one-timer from the right face-off circle.

Stenberg then added an empty-net goal with eight seconds remaining.

"The guy's unreal," Boumedienne said. "He does whatever he wants out there. He has a sense of urgency, but a calm at the same time. He's such a cool mind and knows exactly what to do at all times. It's pretty impressive. It's fun to watch."

Rounding out the top five International skaters are defenseman Alberts Smits of Munchen in DEL, the top professional league in Germany; center Oliver Suvanto of Tappara in Liiga, the top professional league in Finland; center Viggo Bjorck of Djurgarden in the SHL; and right wing Elton Hermansson of MoDo in Allsvenskan, the second division in Sweden.

Smits (6-3, 205) was No. 2 in the midterm rankings. The 18-year-old was the youngest player at the 2026 Winter Olympics, where he had two assists in four games for Team Latvia while averaging 18:44 of ice time. He had five points (one goal, four assists) in five games at World Juniors and led Latvia in time on ice per game (23:40).

Smits had 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 38 games with Jukurit in Liiga before he was loaned to Munchen on Feb. 25. He had one assist in five regular-season DEL games and has six points (two goals, four assists) in 10 playoff games.

"He has size with agile and speedy skating, combined with great hands," Vuorinen said. "He can handle large minutes with self-confidence and his hockey IQ is exceptional, as evidenced by his ability to read plays, make intelligent first passes, and position himself effectively in both zones."

Vuorinen said the voting was close between Stenberg and Smits for the top spot.

"Let’s say there is no real gap," he said. "We were strongly considering having Alberts Smits as No. 1 as well when seeing how he handled games in the Olympics and Finnish and German leagues. It really depends on who is looking for what kind of player for their first pick.

Suvanto (6-3, 207), who was No. 3 in the midterm rankings, had 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 48 games for Tappara in Liiga. The 17-year-old scored two goals in seven games for Finland at the WJC.

"His strong skating, balance and physical strength make him highly effective in face-offs, battles and defensive coverage," Vuorinen said. "He's a natural two-way player who combines reliability and intelligence. Offensively, he can create space for teammates with intelligent positioning and strong puck protection. His forechecking and work ethic stand out, and he plays with pro-level consistency and awareness."

Bjorck (5-9, 177) moved up from No. 5 in the midterm rankings. The 18-year-old center had 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 42 games with Djurgarden, and nine points (three goals, six assists) in seven games for Sweden at World Juniors.

"His acceleration and edgework allow him to separate instantly from defenders, and his hockey IQ shines through clever puck movement and spatial awareness in tight areas," Vuorinen said. "He plays with confidence and flair, using deceptive hands and quick release, particularly on his wrist shot. He contributes effectively on both special teams, managing the puck well on breakouts and serving as a deceptive playmaker on the power play."

Hermansson (6-1, 181) is No. 5 after being No. 4 in the midterm ranking. The 18-year-old right wing had 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) in 38 games with MoDo. He led all players 18 and under in Allsvenskan in goals and was fourth in points.

"He showcases elite puck-handling and offensive creativity," Vuorinen said. "His ability to carry the puck through traffic and create space for teammates makes him a constant threat, particularly on the power play, where his one-timer and quick release are deadly."

Dmitri Borichev (6-2, 194) remains No. 1 among International goalies. The 17-year-old was 12-8-3 with a 2.25 goals-against average, .929 save percentage and three shutouts in 24 games with Loko-76 Yaroslavl in Russia's junior league, and he had a .947 save percentage in two playoff games.