Update: The San Jose Sharks just traded pick 14 for pick 11, but this article still stands.
The San Jose Sharks have pick number 14 11 in the upcoming draft and while General Manager Mike Grier has said he’s going to take the best player available, but it’s hard to see the team turning away from a large, gritty defenseman if he’s available when it’s the Sharks’ turn. Stian Solberg is considered to be one of the hardest-hitting defensemen ranking in the first round.
Stian Solberg, D – Vålerenga, Norway
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 194 lbs.
Age/DOB: 18, December 29, 2005
Shoots: Left
Vålerenga: 42 games, 15 points (5 G, 10 A)
Vålerenga, Playoffs: 17 games, 9 point (2 G, 7 A)
Norway U20: 7 games, 3 points (1 G, 2 A)
Norway, World Championship: 7 games, 3 points (2 G, 1 A)
Solberg’s stock rose after a quality showing at the World Championship, where he played alongside Mats Zuccarello and against NHL staples like John Tavares, Mikael Granlund and Colton Parayko. He held his own and finished the tournament with two goals and an assist in seven games.
Solberg played in Norway last year, but is expected to join the Swedish Hockey League next season.
The case against Solberg
Solberg has climbed the charts quickly this season, leading some experts to wonder if his stock could fall just as quickly. Last October, he was slated to be a fourth- or fifth-round pick. Since then, he’s skyrocketed into the top 20. Some of that jump was because the defenseman was finally able to play a full, healthy season after an injury hindered him in the 2022-23 season. The question is, was the jump too high?
The other issue is picking Solberg at 14 might be an overpay for the Sharks. Jason Bukula of SportsNet calls him a “capable puck mover” who “defends with a purpose.”
“I believe he projects as a second-pairing, two-way NHL defenceman, and I have him ranked No. 23,” wrote Bukula. “Having said that, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least to see Solberg selected inside the top 20. If that did occur, it would certainly have a ripple effect on some lists in the first round.”
Meanwhile, Dobber Prospects says his ceiling is a number four or five defenseman.
“Big, physical defenseman who plays an in-your-face off-puck game. Offensive tools lack pop, but has #4-5 D upside,” wrote Hadi Kalakeche.
The case for Solberg
The case for Solberg is that he brings something the Sharks don’t have a lot of. Nastiness on the defensive end. FloHockey’s Chris Peters has Solberg’s closest NHL comparable as Radko Gudas.
“A physical shut-down defenseman, Solberg probably has better overall hand skills than Gudas, but he’s a menacing physical presence on the blue line,” wrote Peters. “Solberg is actually bigger than Gudas, but he seems to have that confidence and aggression that Gudas has made a career out of.”
Solberg is not afraid to play the body while defending his team’s net.
“The best body-checker in the draft. Think Niklas Kronwall. Size. Competitive,” one scout told Sheng Peng. “Two-way game. Leans more defense but has some offense as well.”
Conclusion
Honestly, it feels like Solberg is a stretch at 14 for the Sharks. It’s a little higher than the team would probably like to draft him, but at the same time, there’s no way the defenseman is falling all the way down to 33, the next pick in San Jose’s arsenal.
Most pundits, including Corey Pronman of The Athletic has the Sharks taking either Solberg or Adam Jiricek with the 14th overall pick this draft. We explored Jiricek in a previous post, and he also comes with some concerns.
In an ideal world, the Sharks don’t have to deal with this decision and find a way to move up a few spots to snag one of the big six defensemen that seem to be a slight tier above both Solberg and Jiricek.
