Ivar Stenberg has been dominating at the World Championship against NHL talent, and showcasing why he may still be worthy of the top pick.
Against current NHLers and some of the best from Europe and the AHL, 2026 NHL Draft eligible Ivar Stenberg has managed to be one of Sweden's top players at the 2026 Worlds, and making what could be a late push to go first overall.
Stenberg is second among Swedes in points with seven, with three goals and four assists, outscoring last year's third overall pick, Anton Frondell.
On a line with Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond and fellow 2026 draft eligible Viggo Bjorck, the line has been one of the tournament's most skilled trios.
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Both Stenberg and Bjorck are likely to go in the draft lottery, but it's Stenberg making one final push to dethrone Gavin McKenna as this draft's top prospect, and could find his way to first overall depending on how this tournament goes.
Ivar Stenberg has been in the same conversation as Gavin McKenna for years as the draft's top prospect
With the consistent hype around Gavin McKenna, it has been forgotten somewhat that Stenberg has been touted for just as long as his fellow 2026 NHL Draft eligible.
This is the same player who debuted in the Swedish U20 at the age of 15, and the top flight SHL at 17. Stenberg is a gifted prospect and one of Sweden's best ever young talents, a fact slightly forgotten by the equally impressive resume of McKenna.
However, Stenberg has been my number two ranked prospect behind McKenna consistently throughout the season, even during the early part of the season where McKenna was still translating to college hockey. My final rankings (which are as of right now still being finalized) still have McKenna at first, Stenberg second.
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Stenberg will likely be a top-line forward in the NHL, and potentially a team's star player. He doesn't have the upside of McKenna, but is taking a massive opportunity at his highest level of play yet and running with it.
No one can deny that Stenberg has indeed proven himself as the pro level, and should be a top-six NHLer, the question becomes now if Stenberg's performance is good enough to be this draft's top prospect.
Could Stenberg's WC success propel him to become the Toronto Maple Leafs top pick?
The one case you can make for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who hold the top pick, is that they are in win-now mode, and Stenberg has shown more of a pro readiness than McKenna, with his international success a cherry on top.
Stenberg is a September 2007 birthday, only two weeks from having been eligible for last year's draft. He should be NHL ready right away, and Toronto may not be patient enough for McKenna if he theoretically needs time.
That's not to say that readiness is the only thing Stenberg has going for him. As mentioned, Stenberg is a potential franchise talent with high-end offensive skill, but he's an older, more proven player, which could align with Toronto's clear short-term needs.
Credit does also need to be given to Stenberg for pushing himself back into a conversation that Leafs fans have closed when they gained the top pick. Although McKenna deserves to go first, Stenberg hasn't gone out of contention without a fight.
There's still a month to go until the 2026 NHL Draft, and time for things to change. But for anyone having penciled Gavin McKenna to Toronto, Ivar Stenberg is still dedicated to playing spoiler.
Does Ivar Stenberg have a case to go first overall?
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Every Maple Leafs 2026 draft pick and what Toronto should do with all seven selections