Ivar Stenberg didn’t need much convincing after his pre-draft meetings with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Even before the 2026 NHL Draft played out, he had a pretty good read on where things were headed.
“I had met with (the Leafs) during the year, but I don’t know,” Stenberg told The Mercury News. “They wanted another guy, and I accept that.”
Toronto made its call and took Gavin McKenna at No. 1 overall. Stenberg, meanwhile, landed with the San Jose Sharks at No. 2, and he made it clear he was pleased with how it shook out.
“I’m super happy I’m with the Sharks,” Stenberg said.
A former NHL scout also weighed in on Stenberg’s season so far, adding another layer to the early conversation around San Jose’s newest high-end piece.
There’s plenty happening around the Sharks beyond draft buzz, too. Dan Boyle, the San Jose Sharks legend and San Jose Hockey Now Podcast co-host, recently took part in a charity game at SAP Center. Jumbo and Patty were there as well.
The Sharks’ own feed also highlighted a few other items from around the organization, including a question about whether Ryan Warsofsky should trust his young players more. The team also posted on Oct.
18, 2026: “If you leave a court unattended, we will be using it. 😬”
Another Oct. 18 post showed a crossover moment involving Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini, who ran into @SalVulcano from the @JokersTBS in Toronto.
Off the ice, Randy Hahn shared more details about the Elevated Cupcake Experience.
At San Jose Hockey Now, the focus stayed broad around the Sharks, with coverage touching on why the club keeps giving up late leads, Michael Misa’s Toronto homecoming game, Jack Han’s breakdown of the Sharks’ power play entries, Sam Dickinson’s heavier usage, and Macklin Celebrini’s huge comeback. There was also a look at Marc-Edouard Vlasic moving on from hockey, Gavin McKenna talking about training with Celebrini over the summer, and word that William Eklund had surgery and won’t face the Sharks this season.
Elsewhere around hockey, the topics ranged from keys to success for PWHL San Jose and the possibility that goaltender Corinne Schroeder could be out long term, to whether NHL fans are hitting a cost breaking point. There were also notes on the Pittsburgh Penguins reportedly being ready to trade veterans, Ben Kindel’s medical emergency, Kirill Marchenko’s return to Columbus, Dylan Larkin expanding his trade list to 10 teams, the Florida Panthers chasing games without paying for it, the New Jersey Devils outshooting everyone, Connor Hellebuyck’s suspension ending this week, and how NHL veteran Kyle Okposo - now with the NHLPA - is trying to help create transcendent NHL stars.
In Other News...
Macklin Celebrini Gave The Sharks A Boost They Desperately Needed
The Sharks had little margin for error in Montreal, especially after falling behind by two goals, but they found enough push to claw back and leave town with a 4-3 overtime win over the Canadiens. The result nudged San Jose to 5-4-1 and gave the club another useful checkpoint on a six-game road trip that has already produced a few reminders that this group can hang around even when the night starts badly.
Macklin Celebrini was at the center of it again, giving San Jose the finish it needed when the game reached overtime. The Sharks were also operating without Alexander Wennberg, who exited Mondays game with an upper-body injury and was unavailable against Montreal, leaving his status day-to-day as the team waits to see how its lineup settles in for the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Stars Lose A Key Defensive Piece At The Worst Time
The Sharks are dealing with another lineup question after Alexander Wennberg was forced out of Mondays loss at Toronto in the third period with an upper-body injury. His availability matters because he has been part of San Joses forward mix, and any absence changes the way the club lines up down the middle and in support roles as it heads into the next stretch.
San Jose was already left to make an adjustment against Montreal, where Ty Dellandrea stepped into the lineup in Wennbergs place. With Wennberg now considered day-to-day, the Sharks will be watching closely to see whether this is a short-term absence or something that keeps them reshuffling the forward group again in the immediate future. [Read more 🡒]
Celebrini Gives Sharks Fans Another Reason To Believe
The Sharks left Montreal with a 4-3 overtime win that fit the kind of night their fans have been waiting to see more often. San Jose got goals from Michael Misa and Tyler Toffoli along with a two-goal performance from Macklin Celebrini, and the result at the Bell Center offered another reminder that this group can skate with some resilience when the game gets tight and the stakes start to rise.
Celebrini has been at the center of that optimism, giving San Jose a young cornerstone who can tilt a game in a hurry. The win also showed the value of having more than one source of offense, with Toffoli and Misa each finding the net as the Sharks kept pushing through a back-and-forth night that ended with two points on the road and another reason for their supporters to lean in. [Read more 🡒]