Ivar Stenberg’s NHL Transition Takes Shape in San Jose
Written by Gina Anton
For the majority of 18-year-old hockey players, playing in the NHL is still a distant dream. For Ivar Stenberg, that dream has suddenly become much closer. Selected with the second pick in the NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks, Stenberg has gone from development camp to training camp to his first taste of NHL preseason action in a matter of months.
“It’s just gonna be super fun. Just super fun to play a game. (It’s a taste), but (the regular season is) close,” Stenberg said prior to his first preseason game.
In that first preseason game, Stenberg had four shots on goal, tallied an assist and scored in the shootout. More importantly, he logged over 22 minutes of ice time. He didn’t just make an appearance; he made an impact on the game.
“(I've been) dreaming of this moment my whole life, and I'm here,” Stenberg said back at development camp.
Stenberg isn’t new to professional hockey after playing in the SHL, but his time with the Sharks through development camp, training camp and the preseason has brought his NHL dream into focus. For Stenberg, the next steps will be continuing to grow as he adjusts to the North American game and the Sharks organization.
“The play system, how we play, and also the smaller rink, where to find space and time and stuff like that. Every day I’m improving and getting better,” Stenberg said.
Moving to a smaller rink in the NHL changes how much space is available and where that space appears, while also giving players less time to make decisions both on and off the puck.
“The game's slowing down for him. He's a smart, savvy little player that can make plays. He doesn't look overwhelmed, so he's obviously taking some nice steps here. He's picking up the system really quickly. He's just quiet and goes about his business and he's coachable and wants to get better,” Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said.
That came after Stenberg scored a hat trick and had four points in his second preseason game, a 10-0 rout over the Ducks. It wasn’t the hat trick itself that stood out, but Stenberg’s overall game, as the sequence leading to his first goal of the night began with his forechecking.
Stenberg played in his final preseason game against Vegas on the Sharks’ third line with Alex Wennberg and Colin Graf. With Stenberg playing alongside them throughout camp and featuring on the second power-play unit, the Sharks are giving him more than just a look in preseason games.
Back in June, before the draft, the NHL was still a dream for Stenberg. Now, as the calendar reaches the end of September, he has made the Opening Night roster for the Sharks. The coaching staff has seen his growth, and Stenberg has shown throughout the preseason that he can compete at the NHL level.
What started as a dream in June has become Stenberg’s next challenge: making his place in the NHL.
