Sharks have big decision to make with No. 2 pick in 2026 NHL Draft

May 7, 2026, 10:00 EDTUpdated: May 7, 2026, 09:38 EDT

Sharks have big decision to make with No. 2 pick in 2026 NHL Draft

Credit: Steven Ellis

No team improved its 2026 NHL Draft position more than the San Jose Sharks.

Originally slated to select ninth, the Sharks moved up seven spots to land the second pick, giving them their fourth top-five pick in a row. In that span, they’ve drafted Will Smith (2023), Macklin Celebrini (2024) and Michael Misa (2025), all while transforming the future of the franchise. That doesn’t include taking Sam Dickinson at No. 11 in 2024, either.

The Sharks would have been thrilled with the ninth pick. They’d end up with a quality defender, such as Alberts Smits or Daxon Rudolph. But with the second pick, they’re getting a better player (in theory), and, potentially, some bigger headaches over the next month.

And, honestly, it’s a good headache to have. Assuming the Toronto Maple Leafs select Gavin McKenna at No. 1, the Sharks will need to decide between drafting the next best forward, one of the top defenders, or even trading the pick away to get more immediate help.

Let’s break down San Jose’s options:

Draft Ivar Stenberg

Stenberg was the No. 1 prospect on our draft board at the halfway point in the season, and for good reason. The Swedish right winger is strong with the puck, has a fantastic shot and might have the second-best hockey sense of anyone in the draft behind McKenna. Stenberg’s production fell as the season wore on, but he still had one of the best seasons by a U-19 player in recent SHL history.

Stenberg’s ceiling might not be as high as McKenna’s from an offensive production standpoint. But if you’re looking for someone who excels in more facets of the game, Stenberg is the best choice. The majority of scouts still view Stenberg as the second-best player in the draft and much closer to No. 1 than No. 3. So if the Sharks are going solely with a mindset of “best player available,” Stenberg should be the answer here.

If I had to guess, the Sharks will keep an extra close eye on Stenberg at the upcoming IIHF World Championship, assuming he makes the final roster. He has been excellent over the past few exhibition matches, which should help his case. He’d likely play a role deeper in the lineup, but he has a year of SHL experience under his belt, which should allow him to gel quite nicely alongside all the other pros. If Stenberg has a monster performance, does it make it too hard for the Sharks to refuse?

Draft Chase Reid/Carson Carels/Keaton Verhoeff

Positionally, the Sharks need a defenseman more than anything. They missed out on landing Matthew Schaefer a year ago, and they likely don’t want to be part of the Landon DuPont conversation next year. Sam Dickinson is the shining star with first-pairing upside. Eric Pohlkamp was one of the biggest college hockey stars and looks ready to challenge for a full-time roster spot next year. Luca Cagnoni is fascinating, but small at 5-foot-9. Leo Sahlin Wallenius is intriguing but looks more like a third-pair blueliner. That’s decent depth, but there isn’t much more after that. That’s why adding another top-four threat could be vital for San Jose moving forward.

So if they’re going to get a quality blueliner out of the first round, this might be the team’s last chance to do so.

The top choice is Chase Reid of the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds. He was excellent at the World Juniors with the United States, where he spent some time as the team’s No. 1 D. Reid is an excellent skater, has a solid 6-foot-2 frame and is always involved at both ends of the ice. His confidence is incredible, too. Reid’s name has been mentioned by a few scouts as a legitimate No. 1 pick thanks to his outstanding puck skills and competitive nature. You can argue that the OHL isn’t as strong as it once was because the older competition jumped to the NCAA early.

The big question here, though, is whether the Sharks view Reid as a true No. 1 defenseman. Because when you’re taking a blueliner with the second pick, you better be darn sure he’s someone capable of changing a franchise. He might be the only defender in this draft class with that potential, although both Carson Carels and Keaton Verhoeff have received love as top-five prospects this year.

If Reid isn’t the answer, would they take one of the others? Carels was an absolute workhorse this year. He was not only one of the best young defenders in the WHL but also one of the best defenders in the entire CHL. He’s built strong, but will he be physical enough at the next level? And then there’s Verhoeff, who jumped to the NCAA at 17. He had growing pains, for sure. But as a 6-foot-4 defender with solid mobility and two-way play, Verhoeff has a bright future ahead of him.

For now, it feels like if the Sharks will take any defender, it’s Reid. But is that really the best choice? That’s the potential multi-million-dollar-a-year question.

Trade the pick

Grier told reporters Tuesday evening that he’s “Always open to listening to what’s out there.” If he was to trade the No. 2 pick, not only would it be highly desirable (duh), but it would come at a high cost (duh). Moving up seven spots is like found money for a franchise that took notable steps forward this season and proved they could hang with the big dogs.

Even with Misa and Yaroslav Askarov establishing themselves as full-timers this season (Misa more so in the second half), the Sharks have one of the best pipelines in hockey. The focus needs to be on actually progressing, and the second overall pick would easily be the team’s most valuable asset. It’s hard to gauge the trade market right now, but a pick of this magnitude would absolutely bring you back at least one impact defender.

It would need to be a sizeable return – and perhaps packaging it up with another prospect of note could help maximize the value. Finding the right return, though, is the hard part. Dougie Hamilton, Darnell Nurse, Rasmus Ristolainen and Pavel Mintyukov were among those rumored to be available ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline. We’ll see what happens, but there likely won’t be a shortage of teams calling Grier to acquire about the pick, at least.

What should they do?

When you’re picking this early in the draft, you should always pick best player available. The long-term needs of a franchise will change over time, and having a number of high-end assets in the system will become viable in trade discussions down the line. If you have a bunch of skilled, two-way wingers, teams will be interested. The real question though is whom the sharks believe is the second-best player in the draft.

Is Reid the right guy to pick at No. 2, or should they acquire the long-term defensive solution through a trade? If not, Stenberg is the guy. If so, then a defenceman is the answer. It’s definitely the better positional situation for the Sharks, but given this is a team with an upward trajectory, it has to be the right decision long-term, and not every scout seems convinced with any specific defenseman in this class.

The best answer would be to draft a defenseman. They just have to be confident in the one they’re getting.

_____

CHECK OUT OFF THE ROSTER – NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEKDAY

Off The Roster is Toronto sports. Hosted by Cabbie Richards, Lindsay Dunn, and Dan Riccio, this is the go-to morning conversation for everything happening in the 6ix – Hockey, Baseball, Basketball and everything in between. From breakout performances and questionable trades to throwback jerseys, viral moments, and the stories fans are actually talking about – it’s smart, sharp, and never scripted. Live weekday mornings on the Nation Network YouTube channel and available wherever you stream podcasts, the show delivers real opinions, real chemistry, and real Toronto energy. Missed an episode? Catch up anytime. Off The Roster—The new sound of the 6ix.

_____

Recent Articles by Steven Ellis

MORE FACEOFF.IN YOUR INBOX.

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER