More Mock Drafts Have Blackhawks Picking Stenberg Fourth Overall
· Yahoo Sports
As another day passed following the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, more mock drafts have been released by some of the top analysts and writers in the industry.
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Craig Button (TSN), Sam Cosentino (Sportsnet), Steven Ellis (Daily Faceoff), and The Athletic’s Staff were among the first mock drafts that dropped once the Lottery results were announced, and two of the four had the Chicago Blackhawks selecting Swedish forward Ivar Stenberg with the fourth overall pick.
When the ping pong balls determined that the Blackhawks will be on the clock at No. 4 later this summer, the initial reaction was disappointment, as that likely meant missing out on both Stenberg and Gavin McKenna. However, based on the slew of mock drafts that have come out in recent days, the industry believes that Stenberg sliding to Chicago has a higher probability than first expected.
Chris Peters (FloHockey), Cam Robinson (Elite Prospects), and Scott Wheeler (The Athletic) each wrote up a mock draft over the last 48 hours, and all three also had Stenberg getting drafted by the Blackhawks fourth.
Peters had the Toronto Maple Leafs selecting McKenna at No. 1, the San Jose Sharks taking defenseman Chase Reid at No. 2, and the Vancouver Canucks picking center Caleb Malhotra at No. 3. Here’s what Peters said about the Blackhawks drafting Stenberg at No. 4.
“This would be almost too easy for Chicago, which has very few needs based on their prospect depth for years to come. A highly-skilled winger who can help drive play and make things happen offensively would be a nice add for Chicago. Stenberg is a little redundant in terms of Chicago’s overall needs, but I think his talent is too hard to pass up at this stage if he’s there.”
Robinson also had the Leafs drafting McKenna and the Canucks taking Malhotra, but the Sharks went with Carson Carels over Reid. Here’s what Robinson said about the Blackhawks picking Stenberg.
“The fall stops here. Ivar Stenberg is a first-overall-calibre player who is still wrapping up a historic draft-eligible season in Sweden. A tenacious, hard-skilled winger who played a significant role for Frölunda and Sweden’s World Junior Team has the type of offensive skill set that would mesh extremely well with the Blackhawks smorgasbord of young talent.”
Wheeler went the same route as Peters, with McKenna going No. 1 to Toronto, Reid going No. 2 to San Jose, Malhotra going No. 3 to Vancouver, and then Stenberg falling to Chicago at No. 4.
“I don’t think Stenberg gets past the Blackhawks. In fact, he might be the best prospect fit for them in this class, giving them Connor Bedard’s future running mate and reslotting everyone else more appropriately after a couple of years of asking some young players to play higher than they belong in the lineup. I know Blackhawks fans were frustrated with how easily their smaller forwards were pushed off pucks this year, too. McKenna would have represented more of that. Stenberg gives them a heavier stick over pucks without sacrificing much by way of playmaking/skill. This would be a huge win for the Blackhawks’ build.”
Perhaps the most interesting tidbit from the first set of mock drafts is how often these analysts and writers have Malhotra getting selected third by the Canucks. Button, Cosentino, Ellis, The Athletic’s Staff, Peters, Robinson, and Wheeler ALL predict Malhotra to be the pick for Vancouver at No. 3, with most having him go ahead of Stenberg. Ellis and The Athletic’s Staff were the only two mock drafts with Stenberg getting selected second, before Malhotra.
Malhotra’s stock seems to be rising on a similar trajectory to Beckett Sennecke in the 2024 NHL Draft, when he was picked third overall by the Anaheim Ducks. There was a lot of smoke around Sennecke and Anaheim going into the draft, which feels like a similar situation to what’s transpiring right now with Malhotra and Vancouver.
Should the Sharks end up drafting a defenseman with the second pick, that could mean that Stenberg, despite all odds, falls into the Blackhawks’ lap at No. 4 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Jun. 21.
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