Ivar Stenberg wasted no time making a case for himself in the NHL rookie conversation, and that has only turned up the heat on Gavin McKenna.
The 2026 NHL Entry Draft debate centered on a simple question: which elite young talent would go first, NCAA phenom and human highlight reel Gavin McKenna, or the more reserved but still wildly gifted Swedish standout Ivar Stenberg. Toronto made its choice and went with the 'Wizard of Whitehorse,' sending Stenberg to San Jose at No. 2 overall. That still left the Sharks with a major prize, especially with Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Michael Misa already in the pipeline.
Stenberg has already looked every bit like a player ready to force his way into the spotlight. On Thursday, the Sharks rookie ripped off a hat-trick and finished with four points in a preseason game, powering San Jose to a 10-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
It was the kind of performance that does more than fill a box score. His goals came with power and precision, and each one put serious pressure on the Ducks goalie.
He had already opened his preseason with an assist, which gives him five points through two games. That is a tiny sample, sure, but it is enough to show that Stenberg is already flashing offensive growth and making the Calder race a lot more interesting for McKenna.
The buzz around the two has been building for a reason. Nobody is trying to put this alongside the Gretzky-Lemieux rivalry, but the attention they draw is real. McKenna has already brought plenty of excitement to Toronto, while Stenberg has added another dangerous piece to a Sharks group that could be terrifying a few years down the line.
Their first meeting in Toronto comes on Oct. 19, and it figures to have the full spotlight on it. That will be the first of many times these two likely cross paths, in the NHL and probably internationally too. However it plays out, McKenna and Stenberg are giving the league exactly what it wanted: two young stars worth watching every step of the way.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs Just Built Deeper Roster Insurance Than Fans Realize
The Maple Leafs quietly turned a roster squeeze into a depth win this week, placing eight players on waivers and sending all of them through to the Toronto Marlies. The group includes Brendan Brisson, Vinni Lettieri, Steven Lorentz, Michael Pezzetta, Henrik Rybinski, Ryan Tverberg, Philippe Myers and Marshall Rifai, giving the organization a fuller reserve of NHL-caliber options than it may have had at this point last season.
For Toronto, the immediate effect is less about the big clubs opening-night picture and more about what it means underneath it. The Marlies suddenly have a far more experienced mix to lean on, while the Maple Leafs can keep a deeper layer of roster insurance close by if injuries or performance issues force changes later on. In a league where early-season attrition can reshape depth charts quickly, that kind of organizational cushion matters more than it first appears. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Roster Shift Opens Door For Marlies Standout To Break Through
Dakota Joshuas core injury is creating an early roster ripple for the Maple Leafs, and it looks like the opening could go to a familiar depth name. With Joshua expected to land on injured reserve or long-term injured reserve, James Mirtle reported that Bo Groulx is likely to start the season with Toronto after coming up from the Marlies.
For a team that is already sorting through changes up front, Joshuas health has added a fresh layer of uncertainty to the bottom six. The bigger question now is not just how long hes out, but what his injury and the clubs recent roster moves mean for his place in the lineup once the dust settles. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Have A Short-Term Wing Decision To Make
The Blue Jackets putting Miles Wood on waivers put another experienced winger into the conversation for clubs looking to stabilize their depth, and the Maple Leafs are among the teams that can at least take a serious look. Wood has been around the league long enough to know the grind of a full season, and his name lands in Toronto at a time when the roster could use some extra insurance on the wing.
For the Leafs, the appeal is straightforward: he is a veteran option with a track record of NHL minutes and a contract that makes him a more manageable short-term discussion than a splashier addition. The question now is whether Toronto sees enough value in that profile to move quickly, or whether it lets the waiver process play out and waits to see what other answers might emerge. [Read more 🡒]