Matt Johnson
The biggest mystery in the 2026 NHL Draft is what the San Jose Sharks will do with the second overall pick. While the expectation has been that general manager Mike Grier will either trade down or take a defenseman, there’s another possibility.
In his latest 2026 NHL mock draft for The Athletic, Scott Wheeler has the Sharks selecting winger Ivar Senberg over defensemen Carson Carels or Chase Reid.
Related: Growing Buzz on Who Sharks Will Draft at No. 2
It goes against a lot of consensus 2026 NHL Draft buzz and mock selections from top analysts and insiders in recent weeks. While San Jose has made it clear it’s more than happy to trade down from the second overall pick, potentially with a team like the Chicago Blackhawks (fourth overall), the general belief is that the team would stay put and take the highest-rated defenseman on the board.
As Wheeler wrote, the mystery around who the Sharks are targeting is also tied into their draft strategy. San Jose has conduced its meetings with prospects in a way that adds further uncertainty regarding exactly who Grier might be prioritizing.
“The Sharks are the team other teams are having the toughest time pinning down, and it feels like that’s intentional. They took six players to dinner in Buffalo. I think that tells you two things: 1. It’s a by-design smokescreen around who they’re zeroing in on, and 2. If they decide to move back, they’ll have a clear Plan B target. Creating uncertainty about who you’re after also helps pressure others to move up to make sure they get their guy. For all of these reasons, the Sharks are the most interesting team at the top of this year’s draft order.”
The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler on the San Jose Sharks’ second overall selection and pre-draft process
Related: Scouts, Execs Predict Who Sharks Will Draft with No. 2 Pick
While scouts and draft analysts are split on the order of the top prospects of the 2026 NHL Draft class, the general consensus is that Stenberg is the second-best player behind Gavin McKenna. However, San Jose has a more pressing need for a top-line defenseman.
Reid could develop into a top defenseman who quarterbacks the powerplay and brings added scoring to the Sharks’ top lineup. On the other hand, Carson Carels could provide the Sharks with a left-handed defenseman who brings more two-way ability.
Read More: What Are Fair Trades for Sharks’ No. 2 Pick?
With that said, Grier has demonstrated in his tenure as the Sharks general manager that he’s willing to bypass a pressing need to instead take the best player available. Given that Macklin Celebrini scored more points (115) than his next closest teammates combined (114 for Will Smith and Alexander Wennberg), going BPA might also address a shortcoming for San Jose that is still flying a bit under the radar.
