Stian Solberg
| Stian Solberg | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
December 29, 2005 Oslo, Norway | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 201 lb (91 kg; 14 st 5 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| SHL team Former teams |
Färjestad BK Vålerenga Ishockey | ||
| National team |
 Norway | ||
| NHL draft | Eligible 2024 | ||
| Playing career | 2021–present | ||
Stian Solberg (born December 29, 2005) is a Norwegian professional ice hockey defenceman for Färjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He is considered a top prospect eligible for the 2024 NHL entry draft; he and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård are projected to be the first Norwegians ever selected in the first round.[1]
Playing career
Solberg grew up playing soccer, and began playing hockey at a rink adjacent to the soccer field. He began playing defence at 14, when a teammate urinated in the shower and the coach gave Solberg his roster spot as punishment.[1] Playing his junior career with Vålerenga Ishockey, he made his debut with their senior club in the EliteHockey Ligaen (EHL) as a fifteen-year-old.[2]
In the 2022–23 season, Solberg recorded a goal and three assists in 18 EHL games. He was selected 96th overall by the Regina Pats in the 2023 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) import draft.[3] Despite being drafted into the CHL and receiving offers from multiple Swedish clubs, Solberg chose to remain in Norway for the 2023–24 season, signing a new, one-year contract with Vålerenga.[4]
In the regular season, he recorded 15 points in 42 games, adding nine points in 17 playoff games on a run to the league finals.[1] In April 2024, he signed a two-year contract with Färjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).[5] Entering the 2024 NHL entry draft, Solberg stood out for his elite physicality, fluid skating, and aggressive yet patient play.[6] Initially seen as a fringe choice to be picked in the first round, his projection improved dramatically in the months leading up to the draft, and by June 2024 he was seen as a potential top-15 pick.[7][8]
International play
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Norway
| ||
| Men's ice hockey | ||
| World Junior Championship | ||
 |
2022 Norway | Division I Group A |
Making his World Championship debut at the Norway at the 2024 World Championship,[2] Solberg was the youngest player at the tournament.[9] In a lopsided 4–1 preliminary round loss to Canada that saw the Norwegians held without a shot for nearly 42 minutes, Solberg scored the team's lone goal.[10] He would ultimately be named one of Norway's top three players at the event.[1]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2021–22 | Vålerenga | NOR U20 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Vålerenga | EHL | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | Vålerenga | NOR U20 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | Vålerenga | EHL | 18 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Vålerenga | EHL | 42 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 47 | 17 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 35 | ||
| EHL totals | 71 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 59 | 17 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 35 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Norway | WJC (Div IA) | 
|
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
| 2023 | Norway | U18 | 9th | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| 2024 | Norway | WJC | 10th | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
| 2024 | Norway | WC | 11th | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | |
| Junior totals | 16 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 14 | ||||
| Senior totals | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | ||||
References
- ^ a b c d Masters, Mark (June 14, 2024). "Mark Masters: Hard-hitting Stian Solberg poised to make history for Norway at NHL draft". The Sports Network. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ a b Bodin, Uffe (May 9, 2024). "Tio talanger att hålla ögonen på under hockey-VM". Hockeysverige (in Swedish). Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Caria, Dante De (July 5, 2023). "Pats Make Pair Of Selections In 2023 CHL Import Draft". Regina Pats. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Jansson, Martin (April 27, 2023). "Jättetalangen nobbar Färjestad – stannar i Norge: "Blir kvar"". Hockeysverige (in Swedish). Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ "Välkommen till Färjestad BK, Stian Solberg". Färjestad BK (in Swedish). April 24, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Baracchini, Peter (May 16, 2024). "Stian Solberg – 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Profile - The Hockey Writers NHL Entry Draft Latest News, Analysis & More". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Stanovich, Austin (June 11, 2024). "Kings Should Target a Pair of Norwegians in Round One". The Hockey News. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ "Surging Solberg on 'crazy' Habs question, extra attention from Leafs". The Sports Network. June 13, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Podnieks, Andrew (May 22, 2024). "Scoring streaks, and whatever else". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Jurewicz, Chris (May 16, 2024). "Canada cruises past Norway". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or The Internet Hockey Database