Macklin Celebrini

Macklin Celebrini
Celebrini with the San Jose Sharks in April 2026
Born (2006-06-13) June 13, 2006
North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Left
NHL team San Jose Sharks
National team  Canada
NHL draft 1st overall, 2024
San Jose Sharks
Playing career 2024–present

Macklin Richard Celebrini (born June 13, 2006) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a centre and alternate captain for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Selected first overall by the Sharks in the 2024 NHL entry draft, Celebrini made his NHL debut in the 2024–25 NHL season and was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy.

Playing college ice hockey for the Boston University Terriers, Celebrini won the Hobey Baker Award during his freshman season, becoming the youngest player to do so.

Internationally, Celebrini has represented Canada multiple times, including the 2024 World Junior Championships, the 2025 and 2026 IIHF World Championships, and the 2026 Winter Olympics, where he became the youngest NHL player to play for Canada at the Olympics.

Early life

Macklin Richard Celebrini was born on June 13, 2006, in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to Robyn and Rick Celebrini.[1] Rick was a soccer player for the Vancouver 86ers and a former physiotherapist for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. He was later hired by the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) as their director of sports medicine and performance.[2] Celebrini grew up a fan of the Vancouver Canucks, his hometown team.[3]

Celebrini is the second of four children: His older brother, Aiden, was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL entry draft. The two brothers played together for the 2023–24 college season at Boston University.[4][5] His two younger siblings also play sports; his sister, Charlie, plays tennis, and his brother, R.J., is also a hockey player at the junior level.[6]

Celebrini is of Croatian descent through his paternal grandfather, Anton Celebrini, who was born in Porat, a village on the island of Krk.[7]

Playing career

Amateur

Celebrini played minor hockey in Vancouver with the North Shore Winter Club before the family moved to San Jose, where he would spend the 2019–20 season with the San Jose Jr Sharks program.[8][9][5] Following a season with the Shattuck-Saint Mary's School, where he would score 50 goals and 67 assists in 52 games, he signed with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League (USHL) for the 2022–23 USHL season, where he would score 86 points, leading the USHL and breaking the record for most points ever by an under-17 player in USHL history.[10][11] After helping the Steel reach the USHL's Eastern Conference Finals, Celebrini was named Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Forward of the Year, becoming the second USHL player to win all three awards, and the first to do so in a single season.[11] Celebrini was also named to the All-USHL and All-Rookie first teams.[12][13]

Celebrini committed to play for Boston University starting in the 2023–24 season, playing alongside his older brother Aiden.[3][5] During his freshman year he recorded 32 goals and 64 points in just 38 games, winning Hockey East Player of the Year, Hockey East Rookie of the Year, Hockey East Scoring Champion, and the Hockey East Three-Stars Award. Celebrini would also win the Hobey Baker Award, becoming the youngest player to win the award and the fourth freshman to do so, following Paul Kariya in 1993, Jack Eichel in 2015 and Adam Fantilli in 2023.[14][15]

Professional

Celebrini was drafted first overall in the 2024 NHL entry draft by the San Jose Sharks, signing a three-year entry-level contract with the Sharks on July 6.[16][17] The summer before his first professional season, Celebrini stayed with the Hughes family for two weeks—brothers Quinn, Jack and Luke all play in the NHL—where he spent his time preparing for entry into the league.[18] He made his NHL debut on October 10, scoring his first goal and assist in a 5–4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues.[19] Celebrini led all NHL forwards in puck battle wins per game in the first half of the 2024–25 season.[20] In early April 2025, Celebrini and other Sharks players hosted a five-year-old cancer survivor in partnership with Make-A-Wish Foundation, after the child wished to meet Celebrini.[21]

On April 9, 2025, in a game against the Minnesota Wild, Celebrini scored his first NHL hat-trick, becoming the first rookie to do so in the 2024–25 season.[22] Playing in 70 games, Celebrini finished the season with 25 goals, second most among rookies behind Matvei Michkov, and 63 points, tying with for second place with Michkov, behind Lane Hutson. Celebrini was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy, awarded to NHL's best rookie, and was named to the league's All-Rookie Team.[23][24] During the summer of 2025, Celebrini and Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks trained together in North Vancouver, with Celebrini stating that both players grew from each other.[25]

Celebrini temporarily became the NHL's leading scorer during the start of the 2025–26 season, scoring 23 points in the first 15 games, the third player to reach this achievement after Wayne Gretzky and Steve Yzerman.[26] Celebrini got a hat-trick and two assists in a five-point night against the New York Rangers, and a hat-trick against the Utah Mammoth in a 3–2 win less than a month later.[27][28] He became the sixth teenager in NHL history, after Wayne Gretzky, Dale Hawerchuk, Mario Lemieux, Jimmy Carson, and Sidney Crosby, to record 100 points in a season after he scored a goal against the St. Louis Blues on March 30.[29][30] On April 16, Celebrini recorded a goal and two assists against the Winnipeg Jets to reach 115 points on the season, setting a new franchise record for most points by a Shark in a single season. The previous record was held by Joe Thornton, who had 114.[31] Fourth overall in league scoring, he was named a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award, given by the National Hockey League Players' Association to the "most outstanding" player in the NHL.[32]

On July 14, 2026, Celebrini was announced as the cover athlete of NHL 27, becoming the youngest player to appear on the cover and the first Shark to do so since Owen Nolan in NHL 2001.[33] He signed a five-year contract extension with the Sharks worth $18.8 million a year on July 29.[34]

International play

Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing  Canada
Winter Olympics
Silver medal – second place2026 Milano Cortina
World U18 Championships
Bronze medal – third place2023 Switzerland

Celebrini made his international debut for Canada with the under-17 team in the 2022 World U-17 Hockey Challenge.[35] The following year, he was named to the under-18 team for the 2023 World U18 Championships, where he would score the bronze medal-winning goal against Slovakia in overtime.[36][37][38] Celebrini later played with the junior team at the 2024 World Junior Championships, leading the team in scoring with four goals and four assists.[39]

Following the conclusion of his debut collegiate season, Celebrini accepted an invitation to make his senior team debut at the 2024 World Championship, but was dropped from the roster following the addition of NHL players whose teams were eliminated in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.[40][41] He would make his debut the following year at the 2025 World Championship, recording three goals and three assists for a total of six points in eight games for Canada.[42]

Celebrini was invited to Hockey Canada's 2025 National Teams Orientation Camp in anticipation of the 2026 Winter Olympics as the youngest player to be considered for the senior team at the time.[43] On December 31, 2025, Celebrini was named to Canada's roster for the Winter Olympics, making him the youngest-ever NHL player on the Canadian men's Olympic team.[44][45] In Milan, Celebrini assumed a key role for Canada in the tournament, playing on the team's top line alongside Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. He opened the scoring for Canada in a 5–0 win over the Czech Republic, surpassing Jonathan Toews to become the youngest Canadian NHL player to score an Olympic goal.[46] He also had the most ice-time of any Canadian player in their 3–2 comeback victory over Finland in the semifinal round.[47][48][49] Canada was ultimately defeated by the United States in the final, receiving the silver medal.[50] Overall, Celebrini recorded five goals and five assists for 10 points in six games, finishing as the tournament's leading goal scorer and ranking second in points, and was named to the Olympic All-Star Team.[51][52]

Celebrini returned to Canada's roster for the 2026 World Championship as the team's captain, making him the second youngest player to ever captain Canada's senior team after Roy Heximer, who was named captain at 18 during the 1938 World Championship.[53][54][55] Celebrini was voted to remain captain after Sidney Crosby, the national team captain for several international competitions starting from the 2014 Winter Olympics, was added to the roster following the Pittsburgh Penguins' playoff elimination.[56] Canada ultimately reached the bronze medal game, losing in an upset to Norway. Celebrini led the team with 14 points in 10 games, and was named the Best Forward of the tournament, as well as to the All-Star Team.[57][58]

Personal life

Celebrini lived with former San Jose Sharks captain Joe Thornton for the first two years.[59][6] He lives with San Jose Sharks teammate Will Smith.[60] During San Jose Sharks Pride Night in 2025, Celebrini was one of many players who taped their sticks with Pride or rainbow tape, stating that while it may be a small gesture Celebrini wanted to show his support through taping his stick.[61][62]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
2021–22 Shattuck-Saint Mary's Midget AAA 52506711744 118122012
2022–23 Chicago Steel USHL 5046408662 20002
2023–24 Boston University HE 3832326418 —————
2024–25 San Jose Sharks NHL 7025386328 —————
2025–26 San Jose Sharks NHL 82457011544 —————
NHL totals 1527010817872 —————

International

Year Team Event Result GPGAPtsPIM
2022 Canada Black U17 4th 41120
2023 Canada U18 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 769156
2024 Canada WJC 5th 54480
2025 Canada WC 5th 83360
2026 Canada OG 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 655104
2026 Canada WC 4th 1068144
Junior totals 161114256
Senior totals 241416308

Awards and honours

Award Year Ref
USHL
USHL Player of the Year 2023 [11]
USHL Rookie of the Year 2023 [11]
USHL Forward of the Year 2023 [11]
All-USHL First Team 2023 [12]
USHL All-Rookie First Team 2023 [13]
College
All-Hockey East First Team 2024 [63]
Hockey East All-Rookie Team 2024 [64]
Hockey East Scoring Champion 2024 [14]
Hockey East Three-Stars Award 2024 [14]
Hockey East Rookie of the Year 2024 [14]
Hockey East Player of the Year 2024 [14]
Tim Taylor Award 2024 [65]
Hobey Baker Award 2024 [66]
AHCA East First Team All-American 2024 [67]
NHL
NHL All-Rookie Team 2025 [23]
EA Sports NHL cover athlete 2027 [33]
San Jose Sharks
Sharks Player of the Year 2025, 2026 [68][69]
Sharks Rookie of the Year 2025 [68]
International
Winter Olympics All-Star Team 2026 [52]
World Championship Best Forward 2026 [58]
World Championship All-Star Team 2026 [58]
IIHF Male Player of the Year 2026 [70]

References

  1. ↑ "Celebrini thriving for Team Canada in 1st Olympics at 19". NHL.com. February 18, 2026. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  2. ↑ Johnston, Patrick (April 29, 2023). "2024's likely No. 1 overall NHL draft pick wants to be a Canuck". The Province. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Pronman, Corey. "Top 2024 NHL Draft prospect Macklin Celebrini commits to Boston University: Source". The Athletic. Archived from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  4. ↑ Drance, Thomas (November 2, 2023). "How NBA superstars showed the NHL's next top prospect the way". The Athletic. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Clark, Ryan (June 28, 2024). "Macklin Celebrini's family-centered journey to the top of the 2024 NHL draft class". ESPN. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Smith, Joe (October 30, 2025). "Next face of the NHL? Macklin Celebrini's family, friends, teammates on why he'll live up to the hype". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
  7. ↑ Tolić, Josip (February 20, 2026). "Novi 'hrvatski' superstar osvaja hokejaški svijet: Djed je s Krka, ruši rekorde na Zimskim igrama". 24sata.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved February 22, 2026.
  8. ↑ "How Brent Burns convinced the Celebrini family that San Jose was ok". Mercury News. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  9. ↑ Ewen, Steve (March 22, 2024). "NHL Draft: Would Macklin Celebrini buzz be even greater if he wasn't following Connor Bedard?". The Province. Retrieved November 29, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Steel Sign Macklin Celebrini to Tender Agreement". Our Sports Central. Archived from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 "Macklin Celebrini Named USHL Player of the Year". Chicago Steel. June 6, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  12. 1 2 "2022–23 All-USHL Teams Announced". USHL. May 1, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  13. 1 2 "USHL All-Rookie Teams Announced". USHL. May 1, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "Celebrini Named Hockey East Player and Rookie of the Year". goterriers.com. March 20, 2024. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Celebrini wins Hobey Baker Award as top NCAA men's hockey player". NHL.com. April 12, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Sharks sign 2024 first-overall selection Macklin Celebrini". NHL.com. July 6, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  17. ↑ Morreale, Mike G. (June 28, 2024). "Celebrini selected No. 1 by Sharks in 2024 NHL Draft". NHL.com. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  18. ↑ Strang, Noah (February 14, 2025). "Celebrini shares details on living with Vancouver Canucks captain Hughes and his family last summer". Daily Hive. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
  19. ↑ Miller, Max (October 10, 2024). "Celebrini has goal, assist in debut but Sharks stunned by Blues in OT". NHL.com. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Stats show Celebrini's puck battle dominance already evident". NBC Sports. December 1, 2024. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  21. ↑ Peng, Sheng (April 5, 2025). "Celebrini, Sharks host Make-A-Wish cancer survivor at practice". NBC Sports Bay Area & California. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Scrolling Social: Macklin Celebrini nets his first NHL hat trick". NHL.com. April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 13, 2025.
  23. 1 2 "NHL announces 2024–25 All-Rookie Team". NHL.com. June 12, 2025. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  24. ↑ "Celebrini, Hutson, Wolf named Calder Trophy finalists". NHL.com. May 5, 2025. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  25. ↑ Peng, Sheng (February 3, 2026). "Celebrini, Bedard Not Interested in Comparisons With Each Other". San Jose Hockey Now. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Celebrini, Bedard take first and second in NHL scoring race". Sportsnet.ca. November 8, 2025. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  27. ↑ "Celebrini scores OT winner to complete hat trick, lift Sharks over Mammoth". TSN. November 19, 2025. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  28. ↑ Rosen, Dan (October 23, 2025). "Celebrini gets hat trick, 5 points, Sharks defeat Rangers in OT for 1st win". NHL.com. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  29. ↑ Celebrini earns his 100th point of the season. March 30, 2026. Retrieved March 30, 2026 – via NHL.com.
  30. ↑ "Celebrini surpasses 100 points, Sharks defeat Blues on Gaudette's late goal". NHL.com. March 30, 2026. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
  31. ↑ Miller, Max (April 16, 2026). "Sharks End 25–26 Season With Win & Celebrini Making History". Sharks Hockey Digest. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Celebrini, Kucherov, McDavid named Ted Lindsay Award finalists". NHL.com. April 28, 2026. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  33. 1 2 "Celebrini on cover of EA Sports NHL 27, Sharks center youngest to receive honor". NHL.com. July 14, 2026. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  34. ↑ "Sharks sign forward Macklin Celebrini to a five-year contract extension". San Jose Sharks. July 29, 2026.
  35. ↑ "Canadian rosters unveiled for 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge". hockeycanada.ca. October 18, 2022. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  36. ↑ "Barlow, Cristall headline Canada's roster at the World U-18 Championship". TSN. April 15, 2023. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  37. ↑ "22 players named to Canada's National Men's Under-18 Team for 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship". hockeycanada.ca. April 15, 2023. Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  38. ↑ Aykroyd, Lucas (April 30, 2023). "Canada wins bronze in OT thriller". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  39. ↑ Reimer, Dayton (January 2, 2024). "Celebrini Clearly Atop 2024 Draft Class with WJC Performance". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  40. ↑ "Bedard, Celebrini highlight Canada's roster at the World Championship". TSN. May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  41. ↑ DeRosa, Michael (May 7, 2024). "Looking at Team Canada's Decision to Swap Celebrini and Fantilli for Dubois, Hagel and Paul". The Hockey News. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  42. ↑ "IIHF – Canada". IIHF. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  43. ↑ "2025 National Teams Orientation Camp". hockeycanada.ca. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  44. ↑ "Canada names Olympic men's hockey roster". Sportsnet. December 31, 2025. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  45. ↑ "Celebrini on Olympic honor: 'Can't really put it into words'". NHL.com. January 1, 2026. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  46. ↑ Cuneo, Ryan (February 12, 2026). "Celebrini becomes youngest Canadian NHLer to score goal at Olympics". Daily Faceoff. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  47. ↑ Cuneo, Ryan (February 20, 2026). "'I'm surprised I didn't play him more': Jon Cooper on Macklin Celebrini's team-leading ice time". Daily Faceoff. Retrieved February 22, 2026.
  48. ↑ Heyen, Bill (February 20, 2026). "The way Team Canada used Macklin Celebrini in Olympic semifinal shows hockey world everything". The Sporting News. Retrieved February 22, 2026.
  49. ↑ Bourne, Justin; Bukkala, Jason (February 20, 2026). "Why Macklin Celebrini is already a Team Canada superstar". Sportsnet. Retrieved February 22, 2026.
  50. ↑ Clipperton, Joshua (February 22, 2026). "Jack Hughes delivers golden goal as U.S. beats Canada in dramatic OT". CBC Sports. Retrieved February 22, 2026.
  51. ↑ "Macklin Celebrini". Team Canada. December 31, 2025. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
  52. 1 2 "McDavid named MVP, All-Star and Best Forward". IIHF. February 22, 2026. Retrieved February 22, 2026.
  53. ↑ "Hockey Canada announces 23-player roster for world championship". Sportsnet. May 8, 2026. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
  54. ↑ "Hockey Canada names Macklin Celebrini captain for 2026 World Championship". Olympics.com. May 10, 2026. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
  55. ↑ "Roy Heximer - Stats, Contract, Salary & More". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
  56. ↑ "Celebrini remains captain for Canada at men's worlds; Crosby to wear 'A'". TSN.ca. May 14, 2026. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
  57. ↑ Aykroyd, Lucas (May 31, 2026). "Norway stuns Canada for historic bronze". IIHF. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  58. 1 2 3 "Josi named tournament MVP, All-Star, and Best Defender". IIHF. May 31, 2026. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  59. ↑ "Celebrini says living with Thornton will be 'perfect situation' as Sharks rookie". NHL.com. September 10, 2024. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  60. ↑ "Celebrini, Smith to live together this season". NHL.com. August 27, 2026. Retrieved August 29, 2026.
  61. ↑ Weber, Jackson (January 12, 2025). "Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini makes his feelings known about using rainbow tape during Pride Night". sportskeeda.com. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  62. ↑ Banks, Tom (January 13, 2025). "Top Rookie Macklin Celebrini Makes his Feelings Known On Supporting Pride Night in the NHL with Rainbow Tape". Blade of steel. Archived from the original on June 17, 2025. Retrieved June 8, 2026. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; January 17, 2025 suggested (help)
  63. ↑ "Hockey East Names 2023-24 Men's All-Star Teams". Hockey East. March 15, 2024. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  64. ↑ "Hockey East Names 2023-24 Pro Ambitions All-Rookie Team". Hockey East. March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  65. ↑ "Boston University's Macklin Celebrini Is 2024 Tim Taylor National Rookie Of The Year". hockeycommissioners.com. April 12, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  66. ↑ Lerch, Chris (April 12, 2024). "Boston University's Celebrini becomes youngest Hobey Baker Award winner". uscho.com. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  67. ↑ "Top 25 men's college hockey players earn distinction as CCM/AHCA Hockey All-Americans for 2023–24 season". USCHO.com. April 12, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  68. 1 2 "Macklin Celebrini named Sharks Player & Rookie of the Year for 2024–25". NHL.com. April 17, 2025. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  69. ↑ "Alternate Captain Macklin Celebrini named 2025–26 Sharks Player of the Year". NHL.com. April 12, 2026. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  70. ↑ Podnieks, Andrew (July 9, 2026). "Celebrini named Player of the Year". IIHF.
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