Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks will host the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.

Star centers Mark Scheifele and Jonathan Toews come to the SAP Center to face Celebrini for the first time this season. For Celebrini, playing against Toews was something he thought he’d never be able to do.

“I think that was the first hockey jersey I got. It was a Jonathan Toews Blackhawks jersey. It’s going to be really cool to play against him,” Celebrini said.

Celebrini says a Jonathan Toews Blackhawks jersey was the first hockey jersey he ever got. Says he’s really excited to play against him tonight. #SJSharks— Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) November 7, 2025

Toews returned to the NHL after dealing with health issues for the past two seasons. At his peak, Toews was considered one of the NHL’s best and most complete centermen. Before he got to the Sharks, Celebrini drew many comparisons to the Blackhawks legend.

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“It’s tough to emulate a player like that. He’s just so unique. You talk about one of the best defensive forwards; his ability to win face-offs and just how he tied that team together, that Blackhawks team,” Celebrini said. “That’s why he was the captain. He just did all the little things exceptionally well.”

Celebrini was named an alternate captain by the San Jose Sharks this season. Toews went on record to discuss how he felt about being named captain at such a young age, saying it put a lot of pressure on him.

Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky told reporters that discussions about Celebrini feeling pressure occurred while they went through the captaincy process.

“I think everyone’s different. I have a lot of respect for Jonathan Toews and what he’s done in his career, and coming back the way he has. He’s always been one of the best 200-foot centers in the last generation here,” Warsofsky said. “But Macklin is different. Just like Macklin is different than MacKinnon and Crosby and all these other great captains and players. It’s not like we woke up one morning and said, Hey, he’s assistant captain. There were a lot of conversations throughout the summer with Mike [Grier], myself, and people that we trust in our organization.”

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Scheifele & Celebrini could be teammates for Canada at the Olympics

Surprisingly, Winnipeg Jets top center Mark Scheifele was left off Team Canada’s Four Nations Face-Off roster last season. The 32-year-old has done nothing but produce in all areas of the ice during his NHL career.

While he wasn’t one of the first forwards named to the Canadian Olympic Roster, Scheifele should be considered a top option.

“He’s a great player. Every time we played against him, he’s at least scored or made an impact,” Celebrini said. “They have a lot of underrated guys, and I think he’s one of them. Just the value he brings to that team and the production he puts up every year. I don’t think he gets talked about enough.”

If the San Jose Sharks want to compete with the Jets on Friday, shutting down Scheifele is critical. Celebrini could be matched up against Scheifele, given how well he’s performed.

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The Sharks forward didn’t want to comment on any potential roster construction for Team Canada.

Pierre LeBrun: Re Canadian Olympic roster: I feel strongly that Nick Suzuki, Mark Scheifele and Macklin Celebrini in particular have really pushed up the bubble list – Oilers Now (11/5)— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) November 6, 2025

“It’s tough for me to really talk on that. I mean, everyone who plays against him knows his value and how many great things he does for that team. How he plays to help him,” Celebrini said.

Celebrini and the Sharks have a 4-1-1 record in their past six games. Now they face a challenging back-to-back scenario. The Jets were the 2024-25 Presidents’ Trophy winners. Then on Saturday, they will face the two-time reigning Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers.

“These two have been the two best teams in the league for the last, however many years,” the Sharks forward said. “I think it’s going to be a great test. We’re definitely going to have to play our game.”

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