Stenberg says Sharks have 'something really good going on'

BUFFALO -- What would it be like to play with Macklin Celebrini? How good could the San Jose Sharks become after adding even more young talent in the first round of the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft at KeyBank Center on Friday?

Ivar Stenberg, Keaton Verhoeff and Ryan Lin imagined the possibilities after San Jose selected them with the No. 2, No. 9 and No. 21 picks, respectively.

Stenberg, a left wing, could play on the same line with Celebrini, a center he called “one of the best in the world.”

“That would be sick,” Stenberg said. “Just give him the puck, and he will fix it. He’s a special player.”

Verhoeff, a defenseman, could run a power play someday that features Celebrini.

“That’d be pretty cool,” Verhoeff said. “I mean, just to be able to pass him the puck would be pretty special too. … Such a special player, and it’s pretty cool to see what he’s doing.”

Lin, a defenseman, has already skated with Celebrini a few times this offseason. They’re both from the Vancouver area.

“I mean, it’s awesome,” Lin said. “I think everyone knows how good of a player he is -- he already is at 19 -- and all their young talent. It’s a really good situation I’m going into, and yeah, I can’t wait.”

The Sharks have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for seven straight seasons, but they have been reloading and are on the rise again.

They have selected nine players in the first round over the past four drafts, including four top-four picks -- center Will Smith (No. 4 in 2023), Celebrini (No. 1 in 2024), center Michael Misa (No. 2 in 2025) and Stenberg.

“They have something really good going on,” Stenberg said. 

Celebrini finished fourth in the NHL with 115 points (45 goals, 70 assists) in 82 games this season and helped Team Canada win silver at the 2026 Winter Olympics in February. The Sharks contended for a playoff spot ahead of schedule, finishing four points out of the second wild card from the Western Conference.

“The next 10, 15 years are going to be pretty special there,” Verhoeff said. “I mean, the players they’ve (added) already and how they’ve been playing already, obviously taking a jump, they’ve been an exciting team to watch.”

Lin said: “All the young talent they have, they’re rich with it. To join that and hopefully be a part of that one day, it’s really, really surreal.”

San Jose won the second drawing of the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, moving up from No. 9 to No. 2. After the Toronto Maple Leafs selected forward Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 pick, the Sharks took a player some thought could have gone first.

Stenberg had 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 43 games for Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League this season, the most by an SHL player 18 or younger since Daniel Sedin (42) and Henrik Sedin (34) in 1998-99. He had eight points (four goals, four assists) in eight games for Sweden at the 2026 IIHF World Championship, where he played on the top line and faced Celebrini.

The St. Louis Blues selected his brother, Otto, with the No. 25 pick of the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Ivar was there that day, 15 years old. Now 18, he had photos of it on the lining of his bespoke suit jacket when he heard his own name called.

“I have seen it before, so I think it helped me a lot,” Stenberg said.

Stenberg spoke on the phone with Celebrini, general manager Mike Grier and forward Alexander Wennberg, who played for Frolunda in 2013-14.

“Yeah, so happy that it’s over and I’m a Shark,” Stenberg said. “Yeah, super excited to join that organization.”

The Sharks acquired the No. 9 pick Tuesday in a trade that sent forward William Eklund to the Ottawa Senators. They nabbed a 6-foot-4, 208-pound defenseman with skill.

Verhoeff was the fourth-youngest player in NCAA men’s hockey this season, and he had 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in 36 games for North Dakota. 

“I was just kind of sitting there in a little bit of shock when I heard my name called, and obviously, when a great organization like that picks you, you get pretty excited,” Verhoeff said. “I couldn’t be happier.”

The Sharks traded up for the No. 21 pick, sending the No. 27, No. 62 and No. 120 picks to the Philadelphia Flyers. They landed a dynamic, puck-moving defenseman in Lin, who had 57 points (14 goals, 43 assists) in 53 games for Vancouver of the Western Hockey League this season.

“It feels good,” Lin said. “I’m not going to lie. I think, like, they see something in me that I see in myself as well. For them to trade up and get me was … Yeah, it feels great, and I want to prove them right now.”

Getting drafted by a team with Celebrini is something to celebrate.

“San Jose is starting to become a spot where I think guys really want to go because of guys like Macklin and the talent that they have,” Lin said. “So, yeah, I couldn’t be more happier.”