Sharks rumors: San Jose considering trading No. 2 overall pick in 2026 NHL Draft

The San Jose Sharks will be selecting second overall in the 2026 NHL Draft. It is a second straight year the Sharks will be picking second in the draft, and general manager Mike Grier is excited to hold the pick.

While Grier is happy to have the second overall pick, jumping up seven spots in the lottery, he may not be selecting a player, but instead moving the pick, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.

“This year’s a little bit different,” Pagnotta said. “They’ve got a lot of depth at the forward prospect position; quality depth, good talent. It’s the defense. And it’s no secret. We’ve talked about this earlier on in the season that the priority moving forward will be the blueline for the San Jose Sharks. There is an opportunity to, within the top-five, top-six, get a really good young defenceman, up-and-coming up, top-pair defenceman.”

The projected top two picks are Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg, both forwards. The Sharks are loaded at the forward position with found talent after recent drafts. The Sharks selected Will Smith fourth overall in 2023 and Macklin Celebrini first overall in 2024. Then, last year, selecting second overall, the team took Michael Misa, a center.

“I think San Jose is serious about wanting to listen, excuse me, willing to listen on that second-overall pick,” Pagnotta added. “I could see Vancouver with motivation to move up. I could see the Rangers with motivation to move up. I think Calgary with motivation to move up. We’ll see kind of where that goes. It’s super fresh, and we’ve got what, five-six weeks? But there’s runway there where San Jose is going to be a pretty attractive team for clubs looking to move up to get basically, again, argument’s sake, Stenberg at #2.”

The Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, and Calgary Flames hold the next four picks in the draft. If Vancouver or New York wants to move up to take Stenberg, the Sharks could add draft capital or a player, and still snag a player like Keaton Verhoeff or Chase Reid, the top two defense options in the draft.

Greir will have plenty of time to field calls for the second pick, and do his homework on what type of trade package he can receive. The first round of the 2026 NHL Draft is set for June 26.

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