2026 NHL Draft Prospect Dominates in WJSS Debut

Ivar Stenberg's name that will be on the NHL’s radar for the next year, and his first taste of hockey in the United States left quite the impression. The 17-year-old Swedish forward headlines Sweden’s roster at the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase, and is likely to do the same at the 2026 World Junior Championships. He’s also one of the top players in the 2026 NHL Draft class, and he displayed why in Sweden’s opening match against the United States.

On the opening day of the WJSS, the United States split their squad in half to take on Finland and Sweden. One of the USA’s teams dispatched Finland 5-2, but Sweden handedly defeated the other by the same score. Leading the way for the Swedes was Stenberg, who recorded a hat trick in their 5-2 win.

Stenberg opened the scoring in the contest after neither side found the back of the net in the first period. In the third period, his unassisted tally served as the game-winning goal for Sweden. He’d complete the hat trick with an empty-net goal in the final moments.

The performance is sure to only add excitement and anticipation regarding Stenberg’s NHL potential. He’s already considered a top-5 prospect in the 2026 class, but he has the chance to cement himself as the top international skater before next June’s draft.

Last season was already a huge step toward that for Stenberg. He’s developed in the Swedish professional circuit, and last year he made his debut in the SHL, the top professional Swedish league. In 25 SHL contests with Frolunda HC, he scored one goal and added three assists. He also skated in 12 postseason contests with Frolunda, scoring three goals and six points.

Before leaping to the SHL, Stenberg dominated the under-20 league. Playing in 27 contests with Frolunda’s J20 Nationell squad, he put up a whopping 26 goals and 27 assists for 53 points.

After the WJSS completes, Stenberg will return to Frolunda HC with the chance to become one of the most productive teenagers in SHL history. His skillset, especially his ability to drive plays and create for himself, will continue to generate buzz and comparisons to other top NHL players in his pre-draft season.