Leo’s Global Hockey Report: Ivar Stenberg challenges Gavin McKenna for top draft choice

Ivar Stenberg celebrates a goal during the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. (Credit: David Berding/Associated Free Press)

Sweden is a country known for its rich hockey history. 

Countless players from the Scandinavian nation have had long careers playing in the National Hockey League (NHL), many of whom were drafted within the top ten choices.  

Rasmus Dahlin and Mats Sundin are the only two Swedes to go first overall. Sundin went first overall in 1989, while Dahlin was chosen in the same position almost forty years later. 

The Sedin Twins were drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in 1999, while William Nylander became a Toronto Maple Leaf after being chosen eighth overall in 2016.  

Ivar Stenberg is the newest player hoping to add his name to the list of successful Swedes to play in the NHL. He is in a tight race this season with Penn State forward Gavin McKenna to see who will be chosen when the Draft rolls through Buffalo in late June.  

Many had McKenna pegged as the first overall draft pick for most of last year. His play for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL) showed why he was considered a generational talent. 

Moving to play college hockey for the Nittany Lions at Penn State only increased his draft stock and boosted his chances.  

McKenna finished his WHL career with 244 points in 133 games, becoming an offensive threat every time he touched the puck.

In his first season playing college hockey, the Whitehorse, Yukon native has 32 points in 24 contests.  

While McKenna made the headlines, Stenberg floated around the top five. 

He played for Frolunda HC, based in the city of Gothenburg. Frolunda is one of the best teams in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and the gold standard of European hockey.  

During his first season in the SHL, Stenberg was quiet. 

He collected three points across 25 games. However, this season has been a different story. Stenberg has turned his fortune around, which has caused him to enter the conversation with McKenna around who is going to be the first overall pick in this year's draft.  

Much of the change has been because of his proficient offensive skillset and complete style of play.  

Stenberg has 28 points in 29 games thus far. He is bound to finish with 42 points when the season ends. 

This would give him the most points in an SHL season by an eighteen-year-old. The last player to accomplish the feat was Daniel Sedin in 1999.  

"You want to go as high as you can, but [number one] has been nothing I think about," Stenberg told reporters. "I start laughing when I think about going [number one]." 

Stenberg’s league play is only one part of the equation. His performance at the recent World Junior Championships also turned a lot of heads. 

Scouts and NHL personnel began looking at Stenberg as someone who had the potential of being a franchise cornerstone for any of the 33 teams. 

For a tournament meant for 19-year-olds, Stenberg never looked out of place. He led his team with 10 points, proving to be a threat every time he touched the ice.

Sweden began their tournament with a 3-2 win over Slovakia. During the game, Stenberg scored a goal that gave his team the lead. His marker came with three minutes left in the game. Before that, Sweden held a two-goal lead and was firmly in the driver’s seat. 

Slovakia tied the game midway through the third to make things interesting.  

Stenberg continued his proficient play with a goal against Switzerland. Sweden took home the win by a score of 5-3. He failed to register a point against Germany. However, he found himself back in the goal column against the United States on New Year’s Eve. 

Sweden took down the Americans 6-3, securing top spot in Group A.

Stenberg was a force for Sweden in the semifinals against their Nordic rivals, Finland. He had a goal and an assist, giving Sweden a 2-1 lead early in the second period.

Sweden found themselves on the victorious end of a 4-3 scoreline. They met Czechia in the gold medal game. Stenberg registered an empty net goal. His late strike gave Sweden a two-goal lead and secured the country’s first gold medal in 14 years.

“I have no expectations,” Stenberg told The Athletic. “I can’t think about it. [Whatever] happens [will happen]. I’m looking forward to making good things happen for myself.” 

The NHL Entry Draft is only five months away. Until then, fans of the teams at the bottom of the standings can look ahead and ponder the potential of landing a player like Stenberg. 

Any team would be happy to have a player like him suited for night in and night out.