Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini drops Olympics truth bomb

San Jose Sharks centre Macklin Celebrini is lighting up the NHL, and now he’s squarely in Team Canada’s sights for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. In his second NHL season, the 19-year-old has collected 43 points (15 goals, 28 assists) in 31 games, placing him third in league scoring behind only Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid and tied with McDavid for the second-most assists. The Sharks may be minus-16 in goal differential, but it’s his production that keeps the team in contention for a Western Conference wild-card spot.

“I mean, for sure, in the summer, yeah,” Celebrini said of the Olympics on Wednesday, after finishing practice for San Jose’s game versus the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.

“That’s a goal. It’s a dream of every kid who grows up in Canada. Right when the season started, that wasn’t really my focus; it’s still not my focus [because I] can’t really control what they decide or what they do. But being on that team would be a huge honor.”

He’s all about helping the Sharks succeed, but the chance to play for Canada at the Olympics definitely pushed him during the offseason. Celebrini trained alongside Team Canada veterans Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon in Nova Scotia, an experience that San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky believes has noticeably leveled up his 200-foot game. He also represented Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, posting six points (three goals, three assists) in eight games with a plus-9 rating.

Celebrini’s climb in the NHL has been historic. At 19 years and 169 days, he became the eighth-youngest player in NHL history to reach 100 career points, joining an elite group that includes Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky, and Dale Hawerchuk. In his first 100 games, he has recorded 40 goals, 66 assists, and three hat tricks. Hockey analysts, including Darren Dreger and Nick Kypreos, have commended Celebrini’s well-rounded game as a distinguishing factor in his Olympic candidacy, giving him a slight edge over Chicago Blackhawks teenage phenom Connor Bedard, who has 40 points in 29 games this season.

Team Canada has six roster spots already locked in with stars like Crosby, MacKinnon, McDavid, Sam Reinhart, Brayden Point, and Cale Makar. With the final 25-man roster due Dec. 31, Celebrini and Bedard are the most closely watched prospects, and Canada’s general manager Doug Armstrong has publicly expressed admiration for both players’ performances. Celebrini’s combination of size, skill, and maturity, along with his ability to excel against top competition for over 20 minutes per game, makes him a serious contender for one of the remaining spots.