Sharks Pull Off One of the Draft’s Best Value Plays
The Sharks walked into Buffalo with pressure, opportunity, and three first-round picks. They walked out with something far more valuable: a class that looks like a turning point. Landing Ivar Stenberg at No. 2 and Keaton Verhoeff at No. 9 was not just a strong start; it was one of the biggest value swings of the entire draft.
Both players carried top-tier grades from scouts across the league, and the fact that San Jose secured them within the first nine selections puts this class in rare territory. Stenberg was the cleanest projection in the draft. His production against men in Sweden, his pace, and his ability to drive play made him a player many teams viewed as NHL-ready. The Sharks had him as their top target, and they got him without having to move a single asset.
Why Stenberg Was Undervalued at No. 2
Calling a No. 2 pick a steal sounds strange, but the context matters. Stenberg entered the year as a top-three prospect, then watched the conversation shift toward flashier names. Through it all, he kept producing, kept winning battles, and kept showing the kind of maturity teams usually do not get from an 18-year-old winger. The Sharks valued that. They saw a player who already understands how to manage shifts, how to create offense without cheating, and how to tilt the ice in tight games.
Most teams draft for upside at the top. The Sharks drafted for upside and certainty at the same time. That combination is rare, and it is why Stenberg at No. 2 looks better the more you study the class.
Verhoeff Falling to No. 9 Changed the Entire Night
Keaton Verhoeff slipping to ninth was the moment that shifted the draft room. Some scouts had him in the top three. Others believed he could push for No. 1 if his skating took another step. When he kept sliding, the Sharks did not overthink it. They took the best defenseman left on the board, and possibly the best defenseman in the class.
Verhoeff brings size, poise, and a calm puck game that fits the modern NHL. His vision stands out. His transition play stands out. His ceiling stands out even more. Getting that kind of player outside the top five is the definition of a steal. Getting him at No. 9 is the kind of break rebuilding teams rarely get.
Sharks Add Even More Value With Their Third First Round Pick
San Jose was not finished. Trading up to No. 21 to select Ryan Lin added another layer to the night. Lin is a right-shot defenseman with strong instincts and a competitive edge that coaches love.
He is not as polished as Verhoeff, but the upside is real, and the value at that spot matched what the Sharks had already done earlier in the round.
A First Round That Repositions the Franchise
The Sharks needed cornerstone pieces. They walked away with three. Stenberg gives them a potential top-line winger. Verhoeff gives them a future top-pair defenseman. Lin gives them another high-ceiling blue liner who fits their timeline.
This is how rebuilds accelerate. This is how franchises change direction. And this is why the Sharks walked out of Buffalo with one of the biggest steals of the 2026 NHL Draft.
