Sharks Rookie Already Turning Heads After Two Preseason Games
· Yahoo Sports
Fans of the San Jose Sharks have got to love what they are seeing in rookie Ivar Stenberg. The second-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft has already recorded five points, three goals, and a plus-3 across his first two preseason games, generating even more optimism for one of the league’s brightest up-and-coming hockey teams.
Stenberg more than made his presence known in Thursday night’s 10-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks when he recorded a hat trick. While preseason hockey doesn’t count and players aren’t always facing top-level NHL competition, there’s no need to spoil the fun.
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If he keeps hitting the ground running when the games count, he will be a strong contender for the Calder Trophy come the end of the season.
Stenberg is yet another piece to a puzzle that includes captain Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Michael Misa, and Sam Dickinson, to name a few. The Sharks also have a strong share of veterans in town, like Alex Wennberg, Mason Marchment, Tyler Toffoli, Darnell Nurse, and Jacob Trouba.
San Jose Sharks Rookie Ivar Stenberg Already Turning Heads
Stenberg is picking up right where he left off from his time in Sweden, where he put up 33 points and 11 goals in 43 regular-season games for Frolunda HC. He recorded another four helpers in six playoff games and was a force during international play.
His performance so far in the preseason dramatically increases his odds of seeing ample ice time early and often as he starts his NHL career. He’s also playing for a team that’s right on the cusp of becoming a formidable unit when they have the puck. One that ended the 2025-26 season with 249 goals, 41 more than it recorded in 2024-25.
It’s also worth noting that the Sharks missed the 2026 playoffs by just four points. So adding a surefire offensive weapon this season in Stenberg gives them another prime asset to take them over the top.
Stenberg Isn’t The Only One Giving Fans Optimism This Preseason
Stenberg may have been the talk of San Jose’s blowout win over the Ducks, but Misa ended the game with four points and a goal. Misa, who showed flashes in 45 games of action with 21 points and nine goals across 12:49 of average total ice time in 2025-26, is putting himself in a prime position to take the next step.
Igor Chernyshov put up two goals and three points in Thursday’s win. He’s another one in a good position to graduate to a full-time role with the Sharks after recording 19 points and nine goals through 28 contests and 15:03 of average ice time last season.
Players like Stenberg, Misa, and Chernyshov are helping to create one of the NHL’s most exciting supporting casts around Celebrini. It’s only a matter of staying healthy and consistent across an 84-game season. Should that be the case, the Sharks will be in a good position to build on last season’s success.
The Sharks will get one more look in the preseason when they square off against the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday. They will open their regular season at home vs. the Florida Panthers on Oct. 1, which will give Stenberg, Celebrini, and Co. a tough test early on.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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