San Jose Sharks

Stenberg’s Big Night Might Explain Why Sharks Are In on Hellebuyck

Ivar Stenberg’s four-point preseason explosion may say something bigger about the Sharks’ surprising timeline—and their Hellebuyck plans.

by
Old Prof
September 25, 2026

Ivar Stenberg just put together the kind of preseason night that makes people sit up and pay attention: a hat trick and an assist in a lopsided 10-0 win over Anaheim. Sure, it came against a lineup stacked with AHL-level competition, so don’t read too much into the raw numbers. But the bigger picture here matters more than one box score.

Stenberg Has a Place in the Sharks Lineup This Season

Stenberg, the No. 2 overall pick from this year’s draft, is basically a lock to make San Jose’s opening night roster as an 18-year-old. That’s not a “maybe he sticks around” situation. That’s a genuine building block already arriving on schedule, and it puts him firmly in early Calder Trophy conversation territory if he keeps producing once the real games start against Florida next Thursday.

Here’s why this actually connects to a much bigger storyline around the Sharks right now. Remember all that talk from Elliotte Friedman about San Jose being a legitimate fit for a Connor Hellebuyck trade? Friedman recently identified San Jose as one of the teams that makes sense as a potential Hellebuyck destination. The question, he said, is whether the Sharks are close enough to contention to fit Hellebuyck’s two-to-three-year window. Stenberg is a walking, scoring example of precisely that argument.

The Sharks Are Building a Contending Team

Think about what San Jose’s actually building here. A number-two overall pick who’s ready to contribute immediately, not three years down the road. A goaltending market where a proven, championship-calibre name might be available. And a front office under Mike Grier that’s clearly been aggressive about adding pieces rather than sitting back and waiting on a slow rebuild.

San Jose isn’t starting from scratch, either. The Sharks finished just four points out of a playoff spot last season, and now they’re adding another elite young prospect to a group led by Macklin Celebrini and Michael Misa.

That’s the real story worth watching. It’s not just whether Stenberg has a big rookie season, but whether nights like this one are exactly what convinces Hellebuyck that San Jose’s actually a real contender candidate rather than just another rebuilding team hoping to get lucky. If San Jose’s young talent keeps arriving early and performing at this level, Friedman’s argument about timing gets a lot easier to believe.

Watch Both the Sharks and the Jets on This One

So keep an eye on both stories together this season. Stenberg lighting up the scoresheet isn’t just a fun individual storyline; it’s another piece of evidence for Friedman’s argument about San Jose’s timeline.