We got one heck of a hot take for you, but we need to take a trip to Sweden for this one. European players get overlooked as they are not in a major league in North America, and do not get the media attention they deserve. As our Swedish evaluator said ”If Stenberg was Canadian and played on Canadian ice, he would get the same attention as McKenna” - Markus R. You may have first noticed him during the World Juniors last year as he stood out for Sweden as he played five games and got seven goals, four assists, totaling eleven points. He also played in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he played five games and got four goals, and six assists giving him ten points. Watching him play during the world juniors I can say he stood out for me and is now on my radar for players to watch this year. If Ivar can get some size to him and keep working hard he will be top three in the 2026 NHL entry draft.
He is only 17 years old and playing in the SHL (Sweden's Hockey League), which means he's playing against adults, who are much bigger and stronger than him. He has played forty-two games in the SHL and has racked up twelve points. Before the SHL, he played in the U20s league and played twenty-seven games getting twenty-seven assists. He was on track to have one of the best U20 season on record before getting called up to the SHL. As Markus R says about Ivar "He is one of the most cerebral prospects, in any draft class ever" If you have not seen Ivar play before I highly recommend watching some highlights.
Could Ivar make some waves this year and become the top draft pick in the 2026 NHL entry draft? Only time will tell.
Written by: Keelan McInnes
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