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Macklin Celebrini is the NHL’s next superstar
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Macklin Celebrini is the NHL’s next superstar

Originally posted on Daily Faceoff  |  By Steven Ellis  |  Last updated Oct 29, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The terms “elite” and “superstar” are often overused in the NHL.

Both are terms to describe the best of the best. And thus, they shouldn’t be thrown out for just anyone. The McDavids, the MacKinnons, the Hughes’ (Jack and Quinn), the Crosbys, the Kucherovs, the Kaprizovs, the Makars, etc. These are the players truly capable of changing a game like few others can.

But when talking about Macklin Celebrini, both are on the verge of becoming absolutely true.

The San Jose Sharks are bound to finish near the bottom of the standings yet again. They boast one of the best pipelines in hockey, but they’re still a few years away from being competitive. But Celebrini? He’s built different. Even during the team’s darkest days, he’s making a name for himself. So much so that he’s already establishing himself as not just one of the best young players in the game, but one of the best players, period.

Celebrini might be the second-youngest forward on the Sharks, but he leads the team’s forward crop with 20:53 in average ice time. More impressively, though, are his advanced analytics. Of all forwards with at least 140 minutes in ice time – nine games played, more or less – he boasts a rate of 2.45 points per game at 5-on-5. That’s good for fifth in the NHL. The same goes for his 1.23 goals-per-60 and his all-strengths rate of 4.79. He’s even adjusting on the fly – Celebrini averaged four shot attempts per game in the first five games of the season. In the past five, just under eight.

Celebrini was given the NHL’s first star of the week honors on Monday after registering 10 points in four games. He’s on pace for more than 130 points. That’s probably an unsustainable number on a poor Sharks team, but, by all accounts, Celebrini is establishing himself as an early candidate for the Hart Trophy. Celebrini’s three-goal, five-point effort against the New York Rangers on Oct. 23 is one of the most impressive performances of the season, leaguewide.

It’s a hot start, but one that many were expecting. Celebrini is coming off an excellent rookie season, scoring 25 goals and 63 points in 70 games. It wasn’t enough for him to win the Calder Trophy, but it was still one of the most impressive campaigns we’ve seen from a rookie forward in recent years. 

What really opened eyes, though, was his play with Sidney Crosby at the World Championship. Canada fell to Denmark in the quarterfinal, but Celebrini’s instant chemistry with Crosby – someone many compared MC71 to in his draft year, style-wise – was noticeable from the opening puck drop. It got to the point where if Celebrini was to qualify for Canada’s Olympic team, Crosby would make the most sense as his centerman.

Points aren’t hard to come by when you’re paired with one of the best to ever do it. But Celebrini understood Crosby’s movements and decisions better than almost anyone ever has.

“He’s mature. He loves the game. Loves to compete. He cares about every facet of the game on both sides of the puck,” Crosby told NHL.com’s Aaron Vickers back in May. “With experience, obviously, everything gets a little bit easier. You can’t really fast-track that. I think he’s on the right track.”

Celebrini’s superstar status might not be fully realized until the Sharks escape the basement. But Celebrini will definitely help accelerate that process.

There aren’t any real glaring flaws to Celebrini’s game. His two-way game is already high-level, with his hockey sense allowing him to outsmart even top veterans. At just about every level, Celebrini has found ways to come alive when games matter – whether it be the U-18 World Championship, the NCAA or even this past weekend in overtime against the Minnesota Wild. Celebrini’s maturity has been applauded from the get-go, and it’s a big reason why his transition to becoming an NHL producer was so seamless.

Celebrini is also no slouch physically. He brings bulldog-level energy to shifts, throwing big hits to help generate opportunities for his team. It’s not uncommon for top young forwards to focus more on playing with the puck, but Celebrini is committed to every element of the game – and that includes getting rough at both ends of the ice.

“He’s the guy you want young kids coming up through minor hockey to emulate,” one NHL scout said. “His work ethic, his hockey sense, all of it is as close to perfect as you’ll find in a 19-year-old.”

And that’s what’s crazy – he’s still so young. Celebrini is still eligible for the 2026 World Juniors – instead, he’s on the Olympic radar.

You’ll hear it constantly, but confidence is one of the most important attributes any young player can possess. Celebrini has never lacked it, and the results are indicative of that. He never takes a night off and only continues to look better with every game. Celebrini can rush the puck in, challenge any team’s top defensive pairing and will often come out ahead. He knows he’s had to do a lot of heavy lifting early on in his career, and he has embraced the opportunities.

Celebrini isn’t the flashiest player. He’ll likely never challenge for the league scoring title, either. But Celebrini already looks like the best No. 1 pick of the 2020s, and he’s just getting started. Give him some time, build a competitive base around him, and let him fly high.

Because, by then, he might truly be unstoppable.

Recent posts from Steven Ellis

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

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