Sheng Peng
BUFFALO — The most common word tossed around the draft floor about the San Jose Sharks’ 2026 Draft first round?
Haul.
As in “what a haul”. Or “huge haul”, which is what one NHL scout, not with the San Jose Sharks, told San Jose Hockey Now. Or “insane haul”, which is what another NHL scout, also not with the Sharks, told SJHN.
This scout is enamored, in particular, with Keaton Verhoeff and Ryan Lin.
But let’s start first with his thoughts about the San Jose Sharks’ No. 2 pick, Ivar Stenberg.
Stenberg’s most common comp is point-per-game winger Lucas Raymond, but this scout pushed back: “He’s more hard skill, more F.U. skill than Raymond. But not as creative.”
How about prime Gabriel Landeskog as a comp?
“Boom,” the scout said. “Perfect.”
Landeskog was also a No. 2 pick, in 2011, and at 6-foot-1, bigger than Stenberg, but certainly not a behemoth. From 2017 to 2022, the Swede scored 292 points in 310 games, highlighted by captaining the Colorado Avalanche to the 2022 Stanley Cup.
Landeskog, even now, after multiple knee surgeries, is that proverbial player who you win with.
The San Jose Sharks certainly believe Stenberg can be that.
“He’s got that hard competitive skill that you’re always looking for,” Sharks director of amateur scouting Chris Morehouse said.
What about Verhoeff, at No. 9, the last of five defenders selected in the top-10 of the draft, after Daxon Rudolph, Alberts Smits, Carson Carels, and Chase Reid?
“I had Verhoeff as the best D in the draft,” this scout said.
This is a reminder, despite some proclamations otherwise, that there was no crystal-clear one-two top blueliners in this draft.
Proof of that, the Buffalo Sabres shocked the league by taking Rudolph at No. 4, the first defenseman off the board.
An NHL scout that SJHN spoke with yesterday wasn’t as wild about Verhoeff, and there’s been some questions about his feet and offensive sense.
This scout countered, “I think that’s overblown.”
Sharks director of player personnel Scott Fitzgerald, who famously identified Charlie McAvoy over Dante Fabbro in the middle of the first round in 2016, agreed about Verhoeff’s skating.
“It can be improved, for sure,” Fitzgerald said.
The scout also had a different Verhoeff comp than most others and believes that he’ll become a No. 1 defenseman.
“He’s more Alex Pietrangelo than Aaron Ekblad for me,” he said.
The scout believes also that Lin has top-pairing potential and a rock-solid floor.
“Worst case for Lin is Dylan DeMelo,” he said, “but he could be so much more.”
The main reason why Lin dropped to No. 21 is his height, he’s just 5-foot-11.
“He’s just one of the best players in the draft, period,” the scout said. “[That] translates over size.”
“Big fan of his,” San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier said. “He’s another high character kid. Really good defender. Smart, competitive, and I think he’s a really good player.”