{"id":3037,"date":"2026-06-25T16:42:06","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T16:42:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=3037"},"modified":"2026-06-25T16:42:06","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T16:42:06","slug":"buckle-up-nhl-draft-weekend-could-be-a-doozy-for-mike-grier-and-the-sharks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=3037","title":{"rendered":"Buckle up: NHL draft weekend could be a doozy for Mike Grier and the Sharks"},"content":{"rendered":"
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BUFFALO, N.Y. \u2013 It\u2019s quite possible that the San Jose Sharks simply go ahead and make the eight selections they now own at the NHL draft before they turn their attention to the start of free agency on July 1.<\/p>\n

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Somehow, though, it doesn\u2019t seem like everything will be that cut and dry over the next two days.<\/p>\n

Between the nearly nonstop trade rumors they seem to be involved in, to the decisions they need to make with the first-round picks they now own at second, ninth, and 27th overall, the Sharks figure to be front and center this weekend as they try to shape a playoff-caliber roster for next season after a lengthy rebuild.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo have a high pick and then trade scenarios and free agency around the corner, it\u2019s definitely an exciting time,\u201d said Mike Grier, who is set to begin his fifth season as the Sharks\u2019 general manager. \u201cWe haven\u2019t really been in this situation before to really try and push it forward and really make the team a lot better. So I would probably agree that it\u2019s probably the most interesting summer so far.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first major decision the Grier and the Sharks need to make is what to do with the second overall pick they won at last month\u2019s draft lottery.<\/p>\n

As soon as the Sharks traded William Eklund and two prospects to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, speculation immediately began that they would use the No. 2 selection on fellow Swedish-born winger Ivar Stenberg, assuming the Toronto Maple Leafs use the No. 1 selection on Penn State forward Gavin McKenna.<\/p>\n

Stenberg, 18, competed against professionals this past season, collecting 33 points in 43 games with Frolunda HS of the Swedish Hockey League before he had eight points in eight games at last month\u2019s IIHF World Championship in Switzerland.<\/p>\n

With his playmaking ability, two-way game, and elite hockey sense, Stenberg is widely considered the second-best player available in this year\u2019s draft behind McKenna, who had 51 points in 35 games for the Nittany Lions.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

The Sharks have solidified their forward group after selecting Will Smith, Macklin Celebrini, and Michael Misa with their first pick each of the last three years.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, the Sharks also could lean in the direction of taking a defenseman at No. 2, with sizeable right-shot blueliners Chase Reid, Keaton Verhoeff, and Carson Carels perhaps being the best available at that position.<\/p>\n

That seems less likely now that the Sharks also have the No. 9 pick they acquired in the Eklund trade. Another quality defenseman, like Daxon Rudolph, who just finished a 78-point season with Prince Albert of the WHL, could be available here.<\/p>\n

The Sharks\u2019 scouting staff met in San Jose on Wednesday and Thursday to help finalize their draft list. And rather than pick for need early in the draft, the Sharks will still take who they feel is the best player available with the No. 2 selection.<\/p>\n

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\u201cYou guys are all speculating,\u201d Grier said Wednesday of the Stenberg chatter. \u201cNothing\u2019s decided about our board, and how we have them lined up.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAs far as Ivar goes, he\u2019s a competitive kid, sees the ice well, competes hard, dual threat, pretty comfortable playing against men already, and had a historic season. He\u2019s a very talented player, and we\u2019ve got to keep digging in on him over the next few days and see where it goes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all (media) speculation. Six-foot-three right shot (defensemen) who can skate and create offense don\u2019t grow on trees, either. We still have some work to do to sort our board out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coming away from the draft with a projected top-line winger and top-pair defensemen would be quite an impressive haul for the Sharks, and it\u2019s easy to envision Stenberg being a part of the Sharks\u2019 core, alongside fellow 21-and-under forwards Celebrini, Smith, and Misa, for the next decade or so.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a great story here for the San Jose Sharks,\u201d said Sportsnet\u2019s Sam Cosentino, who had Stenberg as his second-best player available in his latest rankings. \u201cThey had all those glory years, couldn\u2019t get it over the finish line, and it looks like those glory years (might return), with a lot of similar players (growing) up together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grier, though, will likely continue to field calls from other teams on the second and ninth overall picks right up until the start of the draft.<\/p>\n

Despite acquiring Michael Kesselring from the Buffalo Sabres last week, the Sharks still need more defensemen to fill out their blue line, and could use their ninth or 27th overall picks, or even the 60th pick in the second round, as part of a package for a player they feel can help in the short and long term.<\/p>\n

The Sharks made a big step forward this past season, improving from 52 points in 2024-25 to 86 points this year, falling just four points shy of a playoff spot. With the Sharks flush with salary cap space, what kind of pieces are out there to help them take the next step and qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2019?<\/p>\n

The Sharks are rumored to have interest in 6-foot-3, 232-pound Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies, 23, and it\u2019s possible that 6-3, 218-pound defenseman Alexander Nikishin, a 24-year-old who just won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes and was named to the NHL\u2019s All-Rookie team, would be available in a trade.<\/p>\n

Is this the right time for the Sharks to take a big swing?<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the player fits and makes us better and is in the right age group, then I think we\u2019d be in on them for sure,\u201d Grier said. \u201cIt\u2019s all about the fit and the age, and so if those guys (not necessarily Knies or Nikishin become available, for sure, it\u2019s something we\u2019re not afraid to do, and try and get in on.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019re at the right spot in our path here to possibly add a big piece if they became available.\u201d<\/p>\n

NHL DRAFT<\/h4>\n

WHERE:<\/strong> KeyBank Center, Buffalo, N.Y.<\/p>\n

WHEN:<\/strong> First round \u2014 Friday, 4 p.m. (PT); Second through seventh rounds \u2014 Saturday, 8 a.m.<\/p>\n

SHARKS PICKS:<\/strong> First round \u2014 Second, ninth, and 27th overall; Second round \u2014 62nd overall;\u00a0 Fourth round \u2014 120th and 127th overall; Sixth round \u2014 174th overall; Seventh round \u2014 201st overall.<\/p>\n

Read more Al Horford set for Warriors return at age 40, per report<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

San Jose Sharks figure to be big players this weekend as they try to shape a playoff-caliber roster for next season<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3036,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3037","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\nBuckle up: NHL draft weekend could be a doozy for Mike Grier and the Sharks - Next City Digest<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=3037\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Buckle up: NHL draft weekend could be a doozy for Mike Grier and the Sharks - Next City Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"San Jose Sharks figure to be big players this weekend as they try to shape a playoff-caliber roster for next season\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=3037\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Next City Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-25T16:42:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=3037#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=3037\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/13065d40d633843429ac57d4e5c06f9b\"},\"headline\":\"Buckle up: NHL draft weekend could be a doozy for Mike Grier and the Sharks\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-25T16:42:06+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=3037\"},\"wordCount\":1111,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=3037#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/f2fa6c2b245cbd11fab784c0b048e60b.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Sports\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=3037#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=3037\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=3037\",\"name\":\"Buckle up: NHL draft weekend could be a doozy for Mike Grier and the Sharks - 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