Sheng Peng
Ivar Stenberg looked very comfortable in his first day at development camp.
It’s not just because he’s rooming with fellow San Jose Sharks’ first-round pick Keaton Verhoeff at Santana Row this week.
“You can tell that he’s played against men before, sees the ice well, processes well,” San Jose Barracuda head coach John McCarthy said.
McCarthy thinks that the 2026 San Jose Sharks’ No. 2 pick will adjust well from the SHL’s bigger ice to the NHL’s smaller ice.
“Things happen faster, obviously, on the smaller ice, right? The pressure’s on top of you quicker, so everything has to be dialed up. But we played a small area game today, 2-on-2, and he did fine, I don’t foresee any issues,” McCarthy said. “I thought the [small area] game, he separated himself pretty well.”
The future San Jose Sharks star spoke on all the kids chanting his name on Tuesday, his camp goals, and the social media “controversy” about this true height.
Ivar Stenberg, on all the kids chanting his name, and if that’s happened before:
Yeah, it’s been super-cool, super-fun for sure. Dreaming of this moment my whole life, and I’m here. Super-fun and super-happy about it.
Sometimes, not too many times. But yeah, super-nice.
Stenberg, on if he listens to Swedish death metal and his favorite music:
No, I don’t…House, maybe.
Stenberg, on if he will do well at development camp bonding activity, bowling:
No, I don’t think so.
Stenberg, on what his biggest San Jose Sharks memory from childhood:
Erik Karlsson, for sure, when he got traded here, that’s the biggest one.
Stenberg, on his development camp goals, and when he plans on returning to San Jose after camp:
Try to learn as much as possible. See everything here. Try to learn as much I can, go home with the information.
I don’t know yet. We’ll see what happens.
Stenberg, on the smaller ice:
I like it more. Things happen faster, and things happen more often.
Stenberg, on the debate about his height after his Draft day picture with Ryan Lin:
I saw that, but I don’t know how I was standing.