Sheng Peng
BUFFALO — Ivar Stenberg has been living on his own in Gothenburg for three years.
“I have [discipline] over myself,” the 18-year-old told San Jose Hockey Now on Thursday.
That maturity has been on full display all season, as Stenberg had one of the best SHL and World Championships campaigns ever for a first-time Draft-eligible.
For Frolunda, Stenberg posted 33 points, on 11 goals and 22 assists, the third-best D+0 campaign in SHL history, behind only Daniel Sedin (42 points) and Henrik Sedin (34 points).
For Sweden, Stenberg registered eight points in just eight games, on four goals and four assists. Since World War II, only Patrik Laine, Auston Matthews, and Paul Kariya have averaged a point per game as a D+0 at Worlds.
The San Jose Sharks organization, of course, is forward-heavy, but it will be difficult to pass up on Stenberg with the No. 2 pick. The Sharks will take Stenberg to dinner on Friday.
Stenberg spoke on playing against Macklin Celebrini at the World Championships, how his older brother and 2023 first-round pick Otto Stenberg influenced him, and how he decorates his apartment.
On a source saying that he cheats at golf…
I’m too good to cheat. (laughs)
On Stenungsund, the small town he grew up in…
(We) all grew up there, all my brothers live there. They have everything, a rink, golf course, water. (It’s) just a good place.
Yeah, it’s home, and then I have Gothenburg, my second home, and that’s a big town.
On whether he got his love of hockey from his dad, who played semi-pro…
I think so. From him and my brother [Otto Stenberg]. I was following my brother to the rink, and then just fell in love with it.
On what his mom does…
She’s a midwife.
On his dad’s favorite players…
Gretzky, Lemieux, those two.
On what he’s learned about North American hockey from his brother Otto, a 2023 first-round pick who played 32 games for the St. Louis Blues this season…
Not too much, just how great everything is.
On how Otto has been a model for him…
Growing up with him, and he’s always been the step before me, and I walk in his shoes. So super grateful for him, and happy to have him as a brother.
On what he is better at than Otto…
Longer (golf) drives.
On what Otto is better than him at…
Short game.
On if he’s better than his brother at golf overall…
I think so, yeah I am.
On winning World Juniors with Sharks prospect Leo Sahlin Wallenius…
Super fun guy, super good guy. He’s a really good player, but sometimes he doesn’t know too many hockey players [around the NHL].
On the biggest adjustment from World Juniors to playing grown men at World Championships…
Everything’s going faster, there’s bigger, stronger, better. Everything is one or two steps harder.
On what he does outside of hockey…
I love to play golf, be with friends, hang out with my family, spend time with them.
On living on his own in Gothenburg…
I’ve done that for three years now. I have [discipline] over myself.
On how he decorates his apartment…
My mom helps, I have some photos, some wallpaper.
Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimović. I like soccer, but not too much. I just like those two.
On why he should be the No. 1 pick…
Hard to say. Up to the teams.
On talking with the San Jose Sharks…
Every team has gone good.
On if he gets drafted by the San Jose Sharks…
Would be super exciting. Young group of players, bright future. So, super excited.
On playing Macklin Celebrini at the World Championships and their game plan against him…
We didn’t have any of him, but for sure, super fun to watch him closely and play against him. It was super fun. Something I will remember.
On how his skills would fit with Celebrini’s…
I’m pretty easy to play with, so I think if that happens, that’s going to be good.