BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) 鈥� San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier had one big wish entering the NHL draft.
鈥淚 hope not to be picking at the top of the draft next year,鈥� Grier said at the prospect combine earlier this month. 鈥淭he group made some strides and improvements. But there鈥檚 still a lot of work to do and a lot of long ways to go.鈥�
The benefit of and jumping seven spots in the order to No. 2, add in a first-round haul of , and there鈥檚 a growing belief the Sharks will be picking in the back end of the draft sometime soon.
鈥淚t was a good day for us,鈥� Grier said following the first round late Friday night. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a real good, a real important day for the organization to add three players that we did, that we really think can be part of this for a long, long time.鈥�
already in place, the Sharks added more promising talent beginning with the No. 2 pick of Sweden left winger Ivar Stenberg. San Jose then selected North Dakota defenseman Keaton Verhoeff at No. 9, and traded up six spots in the order to draft WHL Vancouver play-making defenseman Ryan Lin at No. 21.
Stenberg heads Sharks first-round haul
Stenberg was in the No. 1 pick discussion to Toronto. Stenberg is coming off a season in which the 18-year-old led all teenagers in Sweden鈥檚 top league with 11 goals and 33 points in 43 games 鈥� the fifth-most ever by a player 18 or younger.
At 17, the 6-foot-4, 208-pound Verhoeff, was the youngest NCAA Division I blue-liner last season, and led all draft-eligible defenseman with 20 points (six goals, 13 assists) in 20 games.
As for Lin, he had 14 goals and 57 points in 53 games, while serving as team captain.
They join a Sharks team that had Celebrini 鈥� the No. 1 pick in 2024 鈥� enjoy a breakout season with 45 goals and 115 points, and was a star in representing Canada at the Milan Cortina Games.
鈥淵eah, Macklin is one of the best in the world,鈥� Stenberg said.
Verhoeff said he experienced goosebumps when Celebrini called to welcome him to San Jose.
鈥淎nytime you hear from a player like that, and all he鈥檚 accomplished and achieved, it was incredible. I was a little starstruck,鈥� Verhoeff said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a special group there with a lot of talent. And the next 10-15 years are going to be pretty special.鈥�
San Jose鈥檚 lineup also includes 2025 No. 2 pick Michael Misa, 2023 No. 4 pick Will Smith and defenseman Sam Dickinson, (No. 11 in 2024).
Sharks trajectory pointing up
The Sharks鈥� trajectory is already pointing up. Though missing the playoffs for a seventh straight season, San Jose went 39-35-8 in finishing fifth in the Pacific Division with 86 points, and only four back of the Los Angeles Kings.
The Sharks’ wins and points were the team鈥檚 most since last making the playoffs in 2018-19, when they lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues in the Western Conference finals.
鈥淭he foundation has started to be laid,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd these guys are definitely pieces that we are really excited to add.鈥�
Grier fielded what he called legitimate trade offers for the No. 2 pick, but elected to select Stenberg. And he landed the No. 9 pick in a deal that sent 鈥� with Stenberg potentially in position to fill that left wing slot.
鈥淗e wants the puck. He wants to be the guy to make a difference and make the play,鈥� Grier said of Stenberg. 鈥淗e鈥檚 got some rare traits.鈥�
Rounding out the day
On Saturday, San Jose re-signed 22-year-old forward Zack Ostapchuk to a four-year, $9.4 million contract.
The Sharks rounded out their draft selections by taking U.S. development team goalie Brady Knowling in the fourth round, WHL Portland center Jake Gustafson in the sixth and OHL North Bay defenseman Alexander Karmanov in the seventh round. At 7-foot-1, the Russian-born and OHL North Bay player is the tallest player ever selected in the NHL draft. He鈥檚 committed to going to Penn State in 2027.
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