Prospect Update: Stian Solberg

By Thomas Harrington

Drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, defenseman Stian Solberg played in both the SHL and AHL this past season. He also played for Team Norway at the World Championships and the Olympic qualifiers.

Solberg started the season playing for Farjestad BK of the SHL. He played in 47 games and scored three goals and 12 points. He finished tied for fourth among defensemen in goals and fifth in points among defensemen on the team. When he left the SHL, Solberg was second in assists and points among defensemen who were 20 and younger.

Solberg joined the San Diego Gulls in March. The official reason was that San Diego was dealing with major injuries on the backend and needed to bring in defensemen who could play big minutes for them. While it hasn’t been said, many think Solberg was brought to San Diego to give him more playing time than he was getting in the SHL. He played 10 games with the Gulls to end the season, playing predominantly on the team’s second pairing. He scored two goals and five points in those 10 games. For a player more known for his physical play, that’s pretty good production out of him. Despite appearing in significantly fewer games, he finished the year with more points than Noah Warren, Andrew Lucas, and Roman Kinal.

At the World Championships, Solberg played in seven games for Norway and scored four goals and six points. He led the team in goals and points, and the highlight for him was getting a hat trick against Team USA. Norway finished sixth in Group B, good enough to qualify for next year’s tournament. However, the Olympic qualifiers didn’t go as well for them. Solberg played in three games and recorded two assists, but Norway failed to qualify for the upcoming Winter Olympics.

Solberg is a very physical defenseman who has good size, skates well, and is incredibly competitive. While his offensive skillset isn’t as great as many of Anaheim’s other defensive prospects, he’s still capable of putting up some points from the backend. One thing he is going to need to work on going forward is making sure he doesn’t get out of position when laying a big hit. As long as he can get better at reading plays, he has the potential to be a top four defenseman, maybe even a top pairing one.

While it has yet to be made official, it looks like Solberg will be with the San Diego Gulls for all of the upcoming season. There’s still a chance he goes back to Europe at some point during the season, but as long as he’s playing well with the Gulls, I expect him to play in the AHL for the entire season.

Usually, I don’t like to set expectations too high when players first get to the AHL. However, between how good he looked for the Gulls at the end of the season, followed by how well he played at the World Championships, I do think I can set expectations a little higher for Solberg than other young players. First, I want him to consistently play in San Diego’s top four and get time on their penalty kill. Second, while he’s not known for his offensive skills, Solberg has shown that he has some offensive ability, and I’d like to see him be one of the top three point producers from the Gulls’ blueline. Finally, I want his overall positioning to continue to improve.

Solberg looks like a very good prospect, but I don’t think he’ll be ready for the NHL this season. If the Ducks need help on the blueline, I would expect Tristan Luneau, Ian Moore, or Tyson Hinds to get the call first. However, if he can be one of San Diego’s top defensemen this season, I could see Solberg make his NHL debut the following year and then push for a full time spot in Anaheim in the 2027-2028 season.

Solberg is currently signed to his three-year entry deal, and he’ll be a restricted free agent when it finishes. I fully expect him to be extended when his current contract ends, and if he’s made the transition to playing fully in the NHL, then he’ll command a one-way deal from the Ducks. However, if he’s still playing in both San Diego and Anaheim, then a two-way deal is more likely for him.

The next and final prospect update will be on forward Beckett Sennecke.

Related Articles:

Prospect Update: Ethan Procyszyn

Prospect Update: Damian Clara

Prospect Update: Sasha Pastujov

Prospect Update: Tristan Luneau

Prospect Update: Nathan Gaucher

Listen to our hockey podcast by clicking below or visiting us at Podomatic, Rumble, Spreaker, or YouTube.

Support us by becoming a DucksNPucks patron! Members can win game tickets, Ducks gear, and more!

Want to start your sports media career? Then Join The Puck Network!

DucksNPucks is part of The Puck Network, which covers the entire NHL. There are openings to cover your favorite team(s)! If you are interested, then apply by filling out the form here: Join Our Team. What are you waiting for? Start your sports media career TODAY!

September 14th, 2025