Seeing his older bro navigate his NHL draft year has helped Ivar Stenberg put his best foot forward. And the battles the brothers waged as kids didn’t hurt, either
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Otto Pilot – May 22, 2026 – Vol. 79, Iss. 11 – Uffe Bodin
THE RIVALRY BETWEEN Otto and Ivar Stenberg has been intense, punctuated by tough love, constant competition, fights and even occasional crying. But it’s also a big reason the Stenberg brothers are where they are today in their hockey careers – with one already playing in the NHL and the other a top prospect heading into this summer’s draft in Buffalo.
Growing up in Stenungsund on Sweden’s west coast, the Stenberg brothers didn’t just play sports. They competed in them – hard.
It didn’t matter if it was hockey, golf, soccer or anything in between. There was always something on the line. “We still compete in everything,” Ivar said. “We fight a lot, and there has been some fisticuffs and some tears along the way.”
On that note, there are tales of legendary and somewhat violent games in the “hockey room” at the Stenberg house, where losing without putting up a literal fight was never an option. “We played a lot of floorball in there, and there are probably a few scars on the walls in that room,” Ivar said. “We competed hard and had a lot of fun doing it.”
When pressed on the subject, Otto just laughed. “We weren’t always the best of friends,” he said. “But that rivalry and competition pushed us to where we are today.”
Having an older brother didn’t just shape Ivar as a player. It gave him a head start on his own draft year. When Otto was taken 25th overall by the St. Louis Blues in 2023, Ivar had a front-row seat to everything that comes with being a prospect – the interviews, the meetings and the attention. “I’ve pretty much seen it all,” Ivar said. “I saw how things were with the world juniors and the draft. I’ve seen all the meetings he had with NHL teams and being at the center of attention. It doesn’t feel new in any way. It feels pretty reassuring that he’s gone through this journey and that I was around for it.”
Otto has already reached the NHL, compiling 10 points in 32 games with the Blues during his rookie campaign this season. But based on Ivar’s own strong season with Frolunda in the SHL, his ceiling is higher. Much higher.
With 33 points in 43 SHL games this year, Ivar produced one of the best U-19 seasons the league has seen – trailing only Swedish hockey royalty Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Markus Naslund and Tomas Sandstrom. For context, rising Anaheim Ducks star Leo Carlsson put up 25 points in the SHL during his 2022-23 draft year.
It’s not just the production that has drawn scouts to watch Stenberg closely. It is also the way he dictates the tempo of the game. While Otto is known for his versatile two-way game, the younger Stenberg possesses an elite level of offensive creativity that has led his GM in Frolunda, former NHLer Fredrik Sjostrom, to compare Stenberg’s style to superstars like Nikita Kucherov and Kirill Kaprizov. Ivar never seems to lose patience with the puck in the offensive zone, finding openings that others don’t even see.
“I’m actually a bit surprised,” Otto said of his brother’s accomplishments. “I didn’t really expect him to be this good this early. He came into the season with good confidence after getting some ice time in the playoffs the previous year, and it gave him a lot of swagger that he built off of. He got to play meaningful minutes with really good linemates. It just took off for him.”
Ivar also had a standout performance at this year’s WJC, a tournament in which he got better with every game and helped Sweden capture its first gold since 2012. He arrived at the event in Minnesota with huge expectations on his shoulders after an impressive start to his pro season, but he initially struggled to have the same kind of impact he was having in the SHL. But as he settled in and started displaying the kind of dominant puck-possession game he’s capable of, the results followed. In the gold medal game against Czechia, he was arguably Sweden’s top player. He also finished the event tied for the team’s scoring lead, with 10 points in seven games.
I’VE PRETTY MUCH SEEN IT ALL. IT DOESN’T FEEL NEW IN ANY WAY. IT’S REASSURING THAT HE’S GONE THROUGH THIS JOURNEY AND I WAS AROUND FOR IT – IVAR STENBERG ON SEEING OTTO GO THROUGH THE PRE-DRAFT PROCESS
All of that did wonders for Ivar’s draft stock. He was no longer just part of the conversation. He was actively pushing to challenge Gavin McKenna for the No. 1 spot. That is a great position to be in for such a fierce competitor, but it doesn’t come without its challenges. “I’ve had a bit of trouble with my English, finding the right way to express myself,” he said with a laugh. “I can’t really speak it yet. I might need to take a course. But I’ll learn over time.”
Luckily for him, it’s the language of hockey on the ice that matters most in the NHL – and that’s a language he has mastered.
