Gavin McKenna hit with unexpected blow before the NHL Entry Draft
Ivar Stenberg is getting loud pre-draft buzz, and after Friday's Daily Faceoff profile dropped, it's easy to see why the Swedish forward is drawing serious attention ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Scout Steven Ellis didn't hold back in his assessment, calling Stenberg as close to a no-risk pick as you'll find at this level.
"Stenberg's floor is very, very high, and he has proven that at the World Championship," Ellis wrote. "Stenberg has virtually no holes in his game. He's dynamic in possession, wields a lethal shot and flashes high-end hockey sense."
That's not a polite scouting report. That's a declaration.
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The profile, posted Saturday afternoon on Daily Faceoff, pulled over 6,400 views inside a day. Draft weekend is days away, and that kind of reach tells you the hockey world is paying attention to this name.
The phrase "virtually no holes in his game" is the kind of language scouts typically reserve for a top-five conversation. Plenty of draft-eligible forwards get one or two attributes highlighted. Stenberg apparently checks every box.
Vancouver and Chicago need this draft to deliver
Here's where the stakes get real. The Vancouver Canucks finished the season ranked last in the NHL, going 25-49-8 for just 58 points and a goal differential of -100. That number is not a typo.
Chicago wasn't far behind at 31st, going 29-39-14 for 72 points and a -62 differential.
Both franchises are rebuilding. Both need this draft class to produce impact players, not just organizational depth.
The club that lands Stenberg won't just be adding a prospect. Based on Ellis' read, they'd be adding a player with a defined floor at the NHL level. That's rarer than you think at the top of any draft.
Dynamic in possession, a lethal shot, and high-end hockey sense. Pick any two of those traits and you've described a top-six NHL forward.
The World Championship showing clearly moved Stenberg up boards. Performing on that stage, against professional-age competition, in front of every NHL scout in the building, answers questions about compete level and jump that you can never fully scout in a league context.
Whether Vancouver holds that top pick or it shifts through the lottery, the front office that calls Stenberg's name on draft night is going to feel very good about the decision for a long time.
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YESTERDAY
JUNE 6, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Mitch Marner | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
| Tomas Hertl | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jordan Staal | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Shea Theodore | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Brayden McNabb | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Taylor Hall | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Martinook | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Andrei Svechnikov | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jackson Blake | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jack Eichel | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Brett Howden | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Seth Jarvis | - | 1 | 1 | |
| William Karlsson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Eric Robinson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jaccob Slavin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Logan Stankoven | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Rasmus Andersson | - | - | - | |
| Ivan Barbashev | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||