The San Jose Sharks had a night to remember on Friday to say the least. The Sharks entered the first day of the 2026 NHL Draft with three first-round draft picks, and left the event with three highly-touted prospects.

First, the Sharks selected forward Ivar Stenberg with the second overall pick. Stenberg will likely fill the hole left by the departing William Eklund for years to come, at a much lower cap hit for at least the first three seasons of his career.

The Sharks then took the stage once again for the ninth overall pick, this time they addressed a massive organizational need when they selected right-handed defenseman Keaton Verhoeff out of the University of North Dakota in the NCAA.

Finally, the Sharks traded up from the 27th overall pick to the 21st selection to take another right-handed defenseman, Ryan Lin out of the Western Hockey League.

Both Stenberg and Verhoeff could be in consideration to play in the NHL as early as next season, although it's more likely that Verhoeff returns to North Dakota for a second collegiate season. As for Lin, he's committed to play under David Carle at the University of Denver during the 2026-27 season.

For many years it seems, the Sharks have been saying that the future is teal. Year after year, they continue adding so much high-end young talent that the statement appears to become more than just a marketing slogan, it's seemingly becoming the truth regarding the future of the NHL.