Ivar Stenberg
LW #41 Frolunda (SHL)
6-foot-0 181 pounds, Shoots: L
Birth Date: 30/07/2007
Stenberg had a D-1 season for the ages. Absolutely dominated the U20 level with point per game production and making it look easy. Made his SHL debut with Frölunda and was a key player during their SHL playoff run. Heading into the 2026 NHL draft season, many scouts had already penciled him into their top 3. Somehow, Stenberg’s draft eligible season is even more impressive. He’s the leading scorer on a wagon of a Frölunda squad. He’s shattering all sorts of SHL rookie points records and, with 32 points in 36 games and showing no sign of slowing down, Stenberg’s final statline could put him on par with NHL legends such as the Sedins, Marcus Näslund, etc. If that wasn’t enough, Stenberg led Sweden to their 1st gold medal at the WJC in 14 years (only their 3rd in WJC history), playing better and better as the tournament went on. Suffice to say, Stenberg’s body of work so far has been that of a top draft eligible prospect. That golden cherry on top has pushed him into the top spot on some scouts’ draft boards.
At first glance, Stenberg might not look like a top offensive winger prospect. He’s got average size at 6-foot-0, 175 pounds, and doesn’t have the prototypical high-end skating you’d come to expect from someone torching a pro league. Once you see him get involved in play, the many layers of his excellence become obvious. More often than not, Stenberg is the smartest player on the ice at a given moment. To make up for a lack of dynamic skating and flashy hands, his offence is primarily driven by his vision, play reading, and exquisite timing. Every puck touch is efficient and well thought out. His puck handling and protection helps him fend off puck-hungry opponents both in open ice and in tight. While he still needs to bulk up, Stenberg can withstand and make plays through hard contact at the pro level. Even from unfavourable positions, such as along the wall and behind the net, he can make a quick pass to the middle of the ice. With these things in mind, Stenberg is as projectable of a playmaker as you’re gonna find in the draft class. Coupled with a strong, accurate wrist shot that he can pick the corners with; Stenberg is a dual threat on offence.
Separating Stenberg’s tools from production has been the challenge for scouts so far. Without the high-end skating, the dazzling puck-on-a-string skill, or bone-crunching physicality, his overall NHL impact could be limited. Elite hockey sense and practical, projectable playmaking alone don’t typically make for an exciting, franchise-altering 1st overall pick, however translatable those skills are. However, it’s hard to argue that you aren’t getting a solid top 6 NHLer. Even if you factor in his early 2007 birthday into his development, Stenberg is a fairly risk-free bet. Considering the top end of this 2026 draft class, that may be the most attractive option for the GMs of bottom-feeding teams. If your 1st overall pick doesn’t hit, you might be out of a job.
For most prospects, a 1st half like Stenberg’s would almost be enough to coast off until the draft. However, Stenberg is now in the 1st overall conversation. He can’t afford to get lazy. Frölunda has been giving him more minutes and more responsibility at even strength lately. Seeing him handle the toughest matchups that the SHL has to offer is going to test his mettle, especially come the playoffs. The hope is that he’ll be able to keep playing his game the way he has been, maybe score a few more goals here and there, and even start to really dominate his shifts.
Skating
RelatIve to his other tools, Stenberg’s skating is his biggest detriment. He’s a quick, light skater in a straight line and fairly agile. He’s already added some quickness to his forward stride since last year. Stenberg isn’t a prospect who is constantly moving his feet, though he does have a decent motor. He’s more of a cerebral player, valuing patience and control, especially with the puck. While forward-stride dominant, he mixes in glides to his patterns and gets low on his inside edges to protect the puck in the offensive zone. You’d wish he was more dynamic and shifty from his edges, more explosive in his first few steps, especially with a profile like his. There’s some push-pull to his game, but he’s better at slowing the game down than speeding it up.
As a result, Stenberg is more of a pass target on the offensive blueline than someone who can carry the puck in transition. He is adept at reading the ice, so he finds lanes to get past neutral zone defenders occasionally. His excellent hockey sense allows him to stay ahead of the play positionally and make perfectly timed cuts and runs to the net to make up for his relative lack of speed. His skating holds him back from being a truly dynamic offensive line driver and rush attacker. Stenberg struggles to push defenders back on their heels or escape defensive pressure. If he can drastically improve his explosiveness, there is a chance his skating could be an asset for him at the NHL level. Conservatively, though, Stenberg’s skating will likely only be a touch above NHL average at most.
Here is Stenberg (#41 Red) with a good head of steam in transition, skating from end to end and breaking through a few lines of defence en route. Nothing wrong with his mechanics, but it’s his ability to quickly identify skating lanes and punish flat-footed defenders that lets him get these kinds of carries in the SHL.
Stenberg (#41 white) building up a lot of speed from the defensive zone and supporting this transition play right up the middle. His excellent timing allows him to arrive in the slot to get a stick on the pass even with a defender hooking him all the way.
Another example of Stenberg (#41 Red) having to build up a lot of speed inside his own end before getting the puck in transition. He’s shifty and deceptive, mixing glides and strides to deceive defenders and get around them. It’s great work, but you can see that he relies on that initial build up of speed to make plays like this happen.
Here we see what happens when Stenberg (#41 White) doesn’t have that runway to work with. He doesn’t quite have the speed advantage to push the opposing defenceman back on his heels or the high end agility to turn his feet. As a result, he’s gapped up, pushed to the outside, and gets taken to the boards.
Stenberg (#41 White) having a bit of trouble keeping up with puck carriers in the offensive zone. This is outside his comfort zone, but he isn’t moving his feet and is mostly reaching with his hands and stick. Everything works out and he’s able to get control of the puck in the end, but similar plays from similar players can sometimes become stick infraction penalties.
Stenberg (#41 White) pokes a puck free from an opponent and there’s a race to the loose puck, but he doesn’t have the high-end speed or explosiveness to get there first for a clean scoring chance. He does end up drawing a penalty on the play, so the outcome is good.
Grade: 52.5
Shot
Stenberg is a playmaker, through and through. However, the threat of his shot is nothing to sneeze at. He may not have a ton of goals this year, but lets not forget this is a player who scored nearly a goal per game at the U20 level and the international level last year. He’s got a solid wrist shot that he can put on net from a distance, though most of his shots come from inside or around the slot. He connects with his one-timer consistently on the powerplay, as evident by his goals at the U20 WJC. His most typical way to score is by being in the right place at the right time and tapping them in. Very dependent on his hockey sense rather than the quality of his shot, yes, but that is a skill that should translate well to the NHL.
Stenberg isn’t a heavy shooter, but when he gets an opportunity to shoot he doesn’t waste it.
He tends to place his shots quite low, but in shooters’ locations like above the pad and below the glove/blocker. Stenberg doesn’t shoot high very often, which is something he will need to do more of to score goals in the NHL, let alone the SHL. Goalies are bigger, quicker and more athletic in the NHL and maneuver in the butterfly with ease. He flashes some pre-shot movement and deception at the junior level, but hasn’t been able to implement it at the SHL level yet. Stenberg has a bit to work on before anyone should consider him a high end NHL goalscorer, but the potential is there. I’d say a 15-20 goal estimate is likely, once he develops fully.
Here is your typical Ivar Stenberg (#15 Yellow) finish. Right on the doorstep, usually preceded by a tactical pass such as this nice give ‘n go play here.
Another typical Stenberg (#41 White) finish. He sneaks undetected to his spot, usually right on the doorstep, and buries a backdoor pass or rebound.
Here’s a great shot by Stenberg (#15 Yellow) through traffic from above the circles. He uses the bodies in front, as well as a deceptive stance, to make it very difficult for the goalie to track the puck.
Nice finish by Stenberg (#41 White) on the power play, stepping into tons of prime real estate and firing a quality wrister.
This is about as far inside as Stenberg (#41 Red) tends to get looks from at the SHL level. He may not have had a ton of options here, but this was not a threatening chance at all.
From one of his more recent SHL games. This is a goalscorer’s goal. Stenberg (#41 White) gets on his edges, has the puck in a deceptive position, and lifts it up and over the goalie. Beautiful finish that we need to see more of.
Grade: 52.5
Skills
Stenberg exudes exceptional skill with the puck at the pro level. He’s one of the most efficient players per puck touch in the draft and his playmaking game may be one of the most projectable out of the top offensive wingers in the class. Stenberg can control possession in the offensive zone like a veteran. He is a tactician, surveying the ice and using quick passing plays to break down opposing defensive structures and to create lanes to the net. He can keep offensive cycles going thanks to his strong puck protection skills from his edges, making quick dangles and cutbacks to keep the puck out of the reach of defenders and attacking their heels. Stenberg has fairly quick hands, but his patience, timing and deception is what makes his puckhandling so strong.
Stenberg’s vision and passing touch are among the top in the draft class as well. He can see passing lanes and make difficult cross seam passes that others could only dream of. This is also true in unfavourable situations such as behind the net or along the wall. Stenberg isn’t the biggest or strongest prospect, but he can still find ways to get pucks to teammates in the slot even when he’s pinned against the boards. His ability to command the chaos of the pro game and high-stakes matches (like the most recent WJC) should serve him well in the NHL.
When he has time and space to work with, like on the PP, Stenberg is in his comfort zone. He can easily run a PP at the NHL level. However, if there is one criticism to levy against Stenberg, it is that he lives on the perimeter a lot at even strength. He’s not a speedster, not really a dangler, nor a power forward who can crash the net. He relies on his play reading and timing to attack the net, which is fine, but he struggles to get inside consistently. Perhaps he’ll figure something out when he bulks up or works on his skating, but it could hold him back from being a truly elite offensive producer at the NHL level. He may be closer to a 60 point guy, but I don’t think any NHL GMs will be unhappy with that.
An example of Stenberg (#15 Yellow) working off of his linemates showing off some tactical passing and playmaking. Not many players can make that one-touch behind the back pass with a defender all over him. Great space creation in tight near the blueline as well. The sequence almost ends in a goal.
Stenberg (#41 red) with great vision and a feather light touch on this pass, eluding defenders and perfectly timed to arrive on his teammates stick for the finish.
The level of offensive zone control that Stenberg (#41 Red) has is at such a high level, even at the pro level. He routinely positions himself strongly to support play and exudes such good patience on the puck. He rarely ever squanders a puck touch by forcing a play. This sequence is a good example of that.
Again, Stenberg (#15 Yellow) controlling play in the offensive zone, this time on the PP. Here we see a bit more flash and pizzazz than we normally do, as he puts the Finnish defender in the spin cycle and kicks off a couple plays leading to shots.
Another one. Stenberg (#41 White) shows off his puck protection and play tracking, skating all the way around the zone before dropping a pass to the slot. He’s the only one who can track the puck through the chaos and recovers it, resetting the offensive sequence.
This is a rare net drive by Stenberg (#41 Red). He sees a lane to the net and uses his strong puck protection ability to power his way across the crease, but doesn’t score. Still, the idea was great. The tools might not lend themselves to getting inside consistently, but Stenberg certainly isn’t one to pass up an opportunity if he sees one.
Grade: 60
Smarts
This is the aspect of Stenberg’s game that truly sets him apart from his peers and has allowed him to continually improve and elevate his game to higher levels with ease throughout his career. Stenberg’s hockey IQ is safely among the smartest of the draft class, and perhaps even the smartest in the NHL.
As soon as he touches the ice, Stenberg is locked in on where the play is going and where he needs to be no matter the situation. He’s got an excellent feel for the game, and the awareness he plays with reflects that. Seeing him out of position or make a mistake is rare, even at the SHL level. His hockey sense is what allows him to make up for his average skating and stay several moves ahead of play. He makes himself an easy pass target along the offensive blue line in transition. On the rush, he varies his speed towards the net and perfectly times his drives to give himself the best opportunity to score.
Stenberg’s pre-scanning and information retention allow him to have all of his passing and escape options in mind before he even touches the puck. Whether he’s being pressured hard and fast or has time and space to work with, he’s got a play already made up in his mind. While his passing and playmaking ideas typically have a lot of forethought behind them, Stenberg is very adaptable and has backup plan upon backup plan if his initial option is no longer viable.
Although he’s far from a two-way winger, Stenberg is able to make an impact in the defensive zone by occupying space, getting his body and sticks in lanes, and pressuring puck carriers along the perimeter with well timed stick checks. He sees deployment in defensive zone situations in the SHL, even with his sheltered minutes.
While his hockey sense tends to manifest itself in all aspects of his play, it’s very easy to show it in clips like this. Stenberg (#15 Yellow) easily reads and intercepts this breakout attempt and instantly turns it into a counterattack.
Here is another example from the November U20 5 nations tournament. He reads the play expertly and gets to the exact place he needs to be at exactly the right time to steal the puck and generate a grade A scoring chance. No idea how that puck stayed out.
ThIs pass from behind the net had everyone including the camera man fooled. Stenberg (#41 White) knew what he wanted to do before he touched this puck and made a great slot pass to a streaking teammate. Another play that should have ended in a goal.
More transition defence from Stenberg (#41 White), this time at the SHL level. His timing and positioning is as good here as it is in all the other clips in this report.
This is a rare ill-advised play by Stenberg (#15 Yellow) causing an offside. He ambitiously takes on two defenders in a straight line trying to split them, but overestimates his speed advantage and loses the puck. He tries to recover the puck, but he’s offside. Even the elite of the elite make mistakes or get overconfident.
Stenberg (#41 Red) getting the play starting from his own end, but an errant pass takes play the other way and he ends up as the last man back. He isn’t known as a two-way winger, but he gaps up his man and drives him to the outside better than some defenders I’ve seen in the draft class.
Grade: 60
Physicality/Compete
It isn’t just his production that’s keeping Stenberg in an everyday SHL role. His physical resilience and compete level is strong for a winger with his profile. Stenberg is able to deal with the physicality of a pro league by outsmarting his opponents. He’s not a hard forechecker, but he’s extremely vigilant. He pressures puck carriers by keeping an active stick while closing them out, often catching opponents by surprise with a well-timed poke check. Additionally, Stenberg’s motor is decent for a soft skill player. He might not be constantly moving his feet, but he never looks disengaged from play.
Stenberg may not play with a heavy physical edge, but he knows how to win battles along the wall. For Stenberg, it's about working hard and working smart. Just like how he protects the puck in open ice, Stenberg can establish body positioning and wall off opponents from the puck with his hips and play keep away in tight with his stickhandling. He comes up with the puck and is able to make plays from the boards to the middle more often than you’d think. He plays the netfront every so often, but that is really not his game. Stenberg just goes where he needs to do and does what needs to be done - a coach’s dream.
At just 18 years old, Stenberg already looks and acts like a consummate pro. Coaches and teammates alike rave about his character. His work rate on and off the ice reflect his drive to improve his game, even with his wild success at the pro level. He also just seems to have that innate ability to raise his game to the next level, to find that 2nd gear when it matters most… as evident by his massive role in securing Sweden’s 2026 WJC gold medal. He stepped up in the medal rounds and played better against better teams. That can’t be taught. If you want a gamer and a great teammate, Stenberg is your guy.
Like shown in the “Smarts” section, Stenberg (#41 Red) isn’t a winger just going through the motions on the forecheck. He’s coming at you with the intent of stripping you of the puck and creating a turnover.
Here we see Stenberg (#41 Red) engaging in a board battle along the wall. He establishes body position initially, then fends off two defenders by protecting the puck with good stickwork in tight. He eventually directs the puck to the point, and it’s sent back in deep.
Stenberg (#41 Red) isn’t a physical player, but he tried to enter this duel with some force. The effort and energy is there, but the muscle is not.
As mentioned previously, Stenberg (#41 White) is not a two-way winger, However, he chips in where he can. Here he is harassing an opposing puck carrier in the D zone and showcasing a good stick to poke the puck free and get play going the other way.
Stenberg (#15 Yellow) showing off some physical resilience and hard work behind the net. He protects the puck with his stick and body, doing everything he can to keep the puck on his stick and even tries to get it to the slot.
Grade: 55
OFP: 55.875
A note on the 20-80 scale used above. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.