An anonymous survey of six NHL scouts and executives conducted by The Athletic shows Swedish forward Ivar Stenberg projected to go fourth overall in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Four evaluators placed Stenberg exactly at the fourth spot, with the other two ranking him fifth. The projections would send the Frölunda forward to the Chicago Blackhawks, where he could join Connor Bedard and Swedish prospect Anton Frondell. Scouts noted that while they often rank Stenberg higher on individual lists, centers and defensemen typically rise in the top selections. One source told The Athletic that backs and centers always go higher than people expect. HV71 defenseman Malte Gustafsson also gained attention, appearing in the top ten on half the ballots and linked most often to the Florida Panthers or Nashville Predators at picks nine or ten. His stock rose after a strong performance at the U18 World Championship. All six participants agreed that Gavin McKenna would be selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Swedish forward Viggo Björck did not appear on any top-ten lists.
