Macklin Celebrini of Canada celebrates scoring their first goal against Czechia in a men's ice hockey group A match during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Sharks phenom Macklin Celebrini makes history in stellar Olympic debut

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Feb 12, 2026 4:42 PM ET

You wouldn't have guessed Thursday marked San Jose Sharks second-year center Macklin Celebrini's first time on the world's biggest sporting stage.

Celebrini made his Olympic debut for Team Canada at the Milan Cortina Games in a preliminary Group A matchup against Team Czechia at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. There, he quickly made history.

How Macklin Celebrini made Olympic history

Celebrini (19 years and 244 days old) scored Canada's first goal in the 5-0 rout when he deflected a shot from defenseman Cale Makar past goalie Lukas Dostal with 5.7 seconds left in the first period. With the score, he became the youngest Canadian NHLer to score a goal in the Olympics.

Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews held the previous record. He scored his first Olympic goal at 21 years and 305 days old, in a 3-2 win over Team USA in the gold-medal game at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

MACKLIN CELEBRINI GOAL. CALE MAKAR ASSIST.

Team Canada grabs their first goal of the Winter Olympics! pic.twitter.com/Y9g95czCNp
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 12, 2026

That adds to Celebrini's long list of feats during the 2025-26 season. Along with the goal at the Olympics, he tied Pittsburgh Penguins 21-year center Sidney Crosby's NHL record for points (55) for a teenager before Christmas.

He's also on track to tally 120-plus points this NHL season, putting him in the Hart Trophy (league MVP) conversation. Entering the Olympic break, he ranked fourth in the league in points (81, 28 goals and 53 assists). As of Thursday, FanDuel Sportsbook gives him the second-best Hart Memorial Trophy odds (+460), behind Colorado Avalanche center and fellow Canadian Nathan MacKinnon (-300).

-Youngest NHLer at the Olympics for Team Canada EVER.
-On pace for a 120+ point season
-Tied NHL record for most points by a teenager before Christmas
-Interviewed by Judi Jupiter
-First goal for Team Canada at the Olympics

Have a season Macklin Celebrini, my goodness pic.twitter.com/yi487dYm9j
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 12, 2026

That shouldn't come as a surprise to Canadian center Connor McDavid ( Edmonton Oilers), perhaps the best hockey player in the world. Before the Olympics, he discussed how the wunderkind has impressed him and will be a headliner throughout the Olympics.

"I've only been around him a little bit, but even just that little bit being around him, I can tell how much he puts into it, how hard he works, how much he cares about it," McDavid said, via NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "It's been impressive to see. He's such a young guy, but to make this team, and not only to make this team, but he's going to be asked to play a big role. That's incredible."

Clearly, McDavid wasn't just being polite. Celebrini is one of multiple budding stars who will help the NHL make a triumphant return at the Olympics after a 12-year hiatus.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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