Although the 2026 NHL Draft class is still developing, prospects are already making waves in the hockey community with their standout performances. This week continued to demonstrate why Ivar Stenberg, Viktor Fyodorov, and Caleb Malhotra are rapidly becoming must-watch names. Here’s a closer look at how these three prospects in the draft further developed their cases this week.
Ivar Stenberg | RW/LW | HC Frölunda (SHL)
Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg has all the tools and the kind of production against men in Sweden that points to him being a potential star in the NHL. The younger brother of St. Louis Blues’ 2023 first-round pick Otto had already proved he was adept at playing against older competition last season when he torched J20 Nationell with 53 points (26 goals, 27 assists) in 27 games. Stenberg put himself firmly on the radar for NHL scouts as a top draft-eligible player for 2026 with a strong performance at the 2025 U-18 Men’s World Championships with 13 points (8 goals, five assists) in seven games to help Sweden claim a silver medal.
The 6-foot, 181-pound playmaker is producing at a historic level in the SHL with 20 points (5 goals, 15 assists) in 21 games. If he can continue his pace, he will top Daniel Sedin for the best points per game by a draft-eligible player in the league’s history. Stenberg, the third-ranked skater on the DraftProspects.com 2026 NHL Draft Rankings, had a slow start to the week. He was held pointless in a 2-1 loss to Grenoble in Champions Hockey League play, then picked up a primary assist in a 3-0 win over Malmö in a return to SHL play. In his third game, Stenberg broke out for four points (one goal and three primary assists), playing just under 13 and a half minutes, in a 5-2 win over Leklands.
Holding onto a 3-2 lead in the early stages of the third period, Stenberg nabbed the insurance marker for Frölunda just two and a half minutes into the frame. The slick Swede sped in from his spot on the wing to pick up a loose puck from his teammate beside the Leklands net. After his first attempt to jam the puck past the goalkeeper failed, the rebound came right back to him, and he ripped a quick wrist shot up and over.
Viktor Fydororov | C | Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (MHL)
Viktor Fyodorov is the highest-ranked Russian skater on the DraftProspects.com 2026 Draft Rankings. The two-way center has been shuffled between the KHL, VHL, and MHL this season but has managed to catch scouts’ eyes. Fyodorov has struggled to put up points in the VHL with just five points (two goals, three assists) in 17 games but has a point per game in five MHL contests and two points in three KHL games.
Fyodorov is listed at 5-foot-10, 176 pounds, which would be on the smaller side for an NHL center. He has dominated the faceoff dot with a 55% winning percentage against his peers but has played wing when called up to the KHL. The Tomsk, Russia, native had a productive week against MHL competition with a goal and two assists while firing 10 shots in two games. He also played in his third KHL game with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod.
With Torpedo trailing 3-2 midway through the third, Fyodorov joined the forecheck to harass the Spartak Moskva goalie as he left the net to play the puck. After a teammate blocked the goalie’s pass attempt, he slipped a pass to Fyodorov, who cleanly popped it into an empty net to bring his team back even and nab his first KHL goal.
Caleb Malhotra | C | Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
Caleb Malhotra’s OHL career started with a trade from Kingston to Brantford. Originally bound for Boston University in 2026, the NCAA rule changes allowed for him to play his draft-eligible season in the OHL. The son of longtime NHL player and current Abbotsford Canucks head coach, Manny, has taken on the second-line center role for a dominant Bulldogs outfit.
The 6-foot, 170-pound pivot is third in the OHL among draft-eligible players with 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists) in 23 games. Playing in just two games this week, Malhotra picked up four points (two goals, two assists) in the second game after being held off the scoresheet by the Niagara IceDogs.
With the Bulldogs already holding a firm 4-1 advantage over the Sarnia Sting, Malhotra helped add more insult to injury in the middle of the second period. After the Bulldogs’ aggressive forecheck recovered the puck in Sting territory, Malhotra settled into some open ice beside the net and tipped home a one-timer from Adam Jiricek. Malhorta added his second goal of the contest on the power play on a similar play where the Bulldogs’ passing around the zone left Malhotra wide open for a tap-in.