Stenberg tops Central Scouting midterm rankings for International skaters ahead of 2026 NHL Draft

Ivar Stenberg, a left wing with Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League, is No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of International skaters presented by BODYARMOR Sports Drink for the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft.

Central Scouting released its midterm rankings of the top International skaters and goaltenders, as well as the top North American skaters and goaltenders, on Monday. Penn State freshman forward Gavin McKenna is No. 1 among North American skaters.

The 2026 draft will be held at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, marking the first time the Sabres will be hosting in a decade. The first round will be on June 26 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS), with rounds 2-7 on June 27 (10 a.m. ET; NHLN, ESPN+, SN).

Rounding out the top five International skaters are defenseman Alberts Smits of Jukurit in Liiga, the top professional league in Finland, center Oliver Suvanto of Tappara (Liiga), right wing Elton Hermansson of MoDo in Allsvenskan, the second division in Sweden, and center Viggo Bjorck of Djurgarden in the Swedish Hockey League.

Stenberg (5-foot-11, 183 pounds) is tied for fourth on Frolunda with 24 points (six goals, 18 assists) in 25 games.

"He has established himself as a top prospect, already playing regular minutes with powerhouse Frolunda in the SHL," NHL Director of European Scouting Jukka-Pekka Vuorinen said. "His blend of speed, first-step quickness, and balance makes him a dangerous, dynamic skater who can both create and finish plays.

"Offensively, he displays elite hockey IQ and patience with the puck, often distributing with precision on the power play and in tight spaces. His vision and timing enable him to open up lanes and create high-quality scoring chances."

RANKINGS: International skaters | International goalies | North American skaters | North American goalies

The 18-year-old also helped Sweden win the gold medal at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, tying for the team lead with 10 points (four goals, six assists) in seven games. He was at his best in the 4-2 win against Czechia in the championship game, finishing with a goal and two assists, including an outstanding individual effort to set up the game-winning goal in the third period. He entered the offensive zone with speed, lost the puck in the left corner, recovered it, circled back across the top of the zone, and held off two Czechia defenders before feeding Sascha Boumedienne (Winnipeg Jets) for a one-timer from the right face-off circle.

Stenberg then clinched the win with an empty-net goal with eight seconds remaining.

"The guy's unreal," Boumedienne said. "He does whatever he wants out there. He has a sense of urgency, but a calm at the same time. He's such a cool mind and knows exactly what to do at all times. It's pretty impressive. It's fun to watch."

Smits also played at the WJC, where he had five points (one goal, four assists) and led Latvia with an average ice time of 23:40 in five games.

The 18-year-old has 12 points (six goals, six assists) and averages 20:15 of ice time in 30 games with Jukurit.

"He combines size (6-3, 205), mobility, and poise far beyond his years," Vuorinen said. "He has logged over 20 minutes of ice time regularly, with dominant performances that showcase confidence and control throughout. A strong skater with excellent balance and surprising acceleration, he transitions smoothly from defense to offense, often leading the rush himself. His hockey IQ is exceptional, as evidenced by his ability to read plays, make intelligent first passes, and position himself effectively in both zones."

Smits also was named to Team Latvia for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

McKenna tops midterm North America rankings for 2026 NHL Draft

Artis Abols, who coached Latvia at the WJC, said that will allow teams to assess how close Smits is to being NHL-ready.

"He has good size, he's a good skater," Abols said. "Is this (Matthew) Schaefer, what he's doing in the NHL? I think physically, [Smits] is ready."

Suvanto (6-3, 207) scored two goals in seven games for Finland at the WJC, and the 17-year-old has seven points (two goals, five assists) in 30 games for Tappara.

"Oliver Suvanto is the most complete and mature 17-year-old center seen in Liiga since Aleksander Barkov," Vuorinen said. "He has already been trusted in key roles for powerhouse Tappara. His strong skating, balance and physical strength make him highly effective in face-offs, battles and defensive coverage. A natural two-way player, he combines reliability and intelligence, rarely making mistakes while consistently supporting both ends of the ice."

Hermansson (6-1, 181) has 15 points (nine goals, six assists) 24 games for MoDo. He also helped Sweden win the silver medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August, getting 11 points (six goals, five assists) in five games, which was tied for second among all players.

"He showcases elite puck-handling and offensive creativity, standing out as one of the most technically skilled prospects in Europe this year," Vuorinen said. "His ability to carry the puck through traffic and create space for teammates makes him a constant threat, particularly on the power play, where his one-timer and quick release are deadly. He demonstrates vision and patience, often manipulating defenders with deceptive stickhandling and creative passing plays. His offensive instincts consistently put him in high-danger scoring areas."

Bjorck (5-9, 177) has eight points (four goals, four assists) in 25 games for Djurgarden and was a standout for Sweden at the WJC, getting nine points (three goals, six assists) in seven games.

"He continues to display elite skating and creativity, standing out as one of Sweden's most dynamic young forwards," Vuorinen said. "His acceleration and edgework work is fine in smaller areas, while his hockey IQ shines through clever puck movement and spatial awareness in tight places. He plays with confidence and flair, using deceptive hands and a quick release, particularly on his wrist shot, to generate dangerous scoring chances. His energy, forechecking and two-way commitment, together with his toolset, make him a valuable all-situations forward."

Dmitri Borichev (6-2, 194) is No. 1 among International goaltenders. The 17-year-old is 6-6-0 with a 1.79 goals-against average, .940 save percentage and three shutouts in 14 games with Loko-76 Yaroslavl in Russia's junior league.