EDMONTON — Future Team Canada teammates Macklin Celebrini and Connor McDavid passed compliments back and forth.

Current face of the NHL, McDavid, was asked about the 19-year-old’s quick ascension to superstar status.

“Obviously, he’s got a lot of confidence. He’s a great player, first and foremost, that’s what it is,” McDavid told Edmonton media on Wednesday. “He’s driven, it seems like. You can tell, even last year, played against him, he plays hard. He plays not a typical teenager game. He plays a hard game. He’s dug in on faceoffs, wins puck battles, and does all the little things that a veteran does.”

The Sharks are a heavy underdog Thursday. The FanDuel oddsmakers have the Sharks at a whopping +152 on the moneyline. Of course, despite a season with a few stops on the strugglebus, FanDuel research still puts the Oilers in the Stanley Cup favorites.

What does the future face of the league take from McDavid?

“The way he thinks the game. Always trying to learn from a guy like that. He slows the game down. Obviously, with his speed, he’s able to push the defense back,” Celebrini said. “But even when he’s moving at normal speed, he’s just thinking the game faster than everyone, especially on the power play.”

Another sentiment that both superstars share? Celebrini said it, but no doubt, McDavid feels the same.

“Tonight, I hope he doesn’t do anything, and in a week, I hope he does a lot,” Celebrini laughed.

San Jose Sharks (27-21-3)

Yaroslav Askarov will start.

Lines will be the same as last game:

Graf-Celebrini-Smith
Regenda-Wennberg-Toffoli
Eklund-Misa-Gaudette
Goodrow-Ostapchuk-Reaves

Orlov-Klingberg
Ferraro-Liljegren
Dickinson-Desharnais

Askarov

It’s many happy returns for the Sharks in Edmonton, as ex-Oilers Vincent Desharnais and John Klingberg return.

Also, Edmonton native Zack Ostapchuk comes home.

Ostapchuk shared that he was at Game One of Sharks-Oilers in the first round of the 2017 Playoffs. It was the first time that Edmonton had made the playoffs since 2006.

“I just remember the energy in the building, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Ostapchuk, then 13, said. “It was just pretty cool to see live, especially the first playoff game in what, like 10 years here?”

So Ostapchuk will have plenty of family and friends here tonight.

“Conflicting emotions in the family right now, telling me that you gotta go easy on them,” he laughed.

Edmonton Oilers (27-19-8)

No forward changes.
Ekholm is skating right now and will be a game time decision.
Ingram starts in goal. #Oilers #Sharks

— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) January 29, 2026

EDM lines & pairs — Wednesday’s practice:

• Ekholm* is not on the ice.

RNH – McDavid – Hyman
Podkolzin – Draisaitl – Kapanen
Savoie – Samanski – Roslovic
Janmark – Lazar – Frederic

Regula* – Bouchard
Nurse – Walman
Stastney – Emberson

Jarry
Ingram
Pickard#Oilers

— Tony Brar 🚀 (@TonyBrarOTV) January 28, 2026

Where To Watch

Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers is at 6 PM PT at Rogers Place. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.