The San Jose Sharks were one of the teams to watch heading into the 2026 NHL Draft, and they certainly didn’t disappoint.
In the first round, they selected Ivar Stenberg second overall to kick off their weekend. The Swedish winger is projected to make an immediate impact, and could fill a top-six role for the Sharks as soon as this season, especially with William Eklund‘s departure leaving a hole that Stenberg could easily fill. Stenberg had one of the top performances by an 18 year old in the history of the Swedish Hockey League, a league often known for low offensive production.
BREAKING: Sharks Select Ivar Stenberg With Second Overall Pick in 2026 NHL Draft
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Then, after some tense moments, the Sharks were lucky enough to have one of the top defensemen in the draft drop to them with the ninth overall pick. Keaton Verhoeff, who was at one point ranked as the best defenseman in this draft class, and even potentially a rival for Gavin McKenna to go first overall, was still on the board when Mike Grier’s management team sent in their pick.
Verhoeff had some struggles adapting to the collegiate game, but a large portion of that can be contributed to his age. He played his freshman year at the University of North Dakota as a 17 year old, an impressive feat in its own right. Had Verhoeff stayed in the Western Hockey League, he probably would’ve been a top-five pick, but instead, the Sharks were able to get an elite prospect with the ninth overall pick.
BREAKING: Sharks Select Keaton Verhoeff With the Ninth Overall Pick in the 2026 NHL Draft
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After selecting Verhoeff, Grier started working the phones to move up from the 27th overall pick. Eventually, he struck a deal with the Philadelphia Flyers for the 21st overall pick, just one spot behind the pick they gave to the Buffalo Sabres earlier this month in exchange for Michael Kesselring and the 27th overall selection.
With their third pick in the first round, the Sharks added their second right-handed defenseman of the night, selecting Ryan Lin from the Vancouver Giants of the WHL. Lin, like Verhoeff, is making the move to the NCAA though, as he’ll join the University of Denver this season. Lin likely dropped due to the fact that he’s 5-foot-11, as many have said that he has the potential to be the steal of the draft.
LINSANITY: San Jose Sharks Trade Up to the 21st Overall Pick, Select Ryan Lin
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The Sharks then had a bit of time to relax, as they didn’t have another pick until the fourth round. That didn’t stop Mike Grier from getting some work done in the meantime though, as he signed forward Zack Ostapchuk to a four-year contract extension while they awaited their first pick on the second day of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Sharks Sign Zack Ostapchuk to Four-Year Contract Extension
The time finally came for the Sharks to make their first pick on Saturday, and they opted to select a goaltender. With the 127th overall pick, the Sharks added Brady Knowling from the United States National Team Development Program. Knowling will be moving around quite a bit in the near future, as he’s currently expected to head to the Ontario Hockey League’s Saginaw Spirit for the 2026-27 season before moving to the collegiate ranks, as he’s committed to Boston University for the 2027-28 season.
Sharks Select Brady Knowling With 127th Overall Pick
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When the Sharks were on the clock again for the 174th overall pick, they didn’t have to look far outside of their own organization. They selected San Jose native, and San Jose Junior Sharks alumnus, Jake Gustafson from the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL. Gustafson’s father is a high-ranking executive in the Sharks organization, mainly in regards to the San Jose Barracuda, the SAP Center, and Sharks Ice.
Gustafson, like a few of the previously mentioned prospects, is going to be making the jump to collegiate hockey this season. He’s currently committed to join Colorado College for the 2026-27 season after a single campaign in Portland.
Sharks Select Jr. Sharks Alum Jake Gustafson 174th Overall in 2026 NHL Draft
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The Sharks then made history, in multiple ways, with their final pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. With the 201st overall pick, the Sharks added 7-foot-1 defenseman Alexander Karmanov to their prospect pool. Karmanov is not only the tallest player to be drafted to the NHL, but he’s also the first player from Moldova to be selected in the NHL Draft as well. He’s seen as a massive longshot to ever make it to the NHL, but if it somehow does work out, it’s hard to imagine a team finding a player with a more impressive frame than Karmanov.
Sharks Select Alexander Karmanov 201st Overall in 2026 NHL Draft
It was certainly an interesting draft class for the Sharks. They added some high-end talent on Friday, then added a couple of players with interesting backstories and profiles on Saturday. One thing is certain though, the Sharks entered the weekend with defense, especially right-handed defensemen, being a major weakness in their prospect pool, now it’s more of a strength.
