Macklin Celebrini is just 19 years old, but he already has gained some invaluable experience performing on the biggest stage.
The Sharks phenom was a key part of Team Canada en route to a silver medal in the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics over the last couple of weeks. Celebrini led all players in the tournament with five goals in six games, and his 10 points ranked second, only behind teammate Connor McDavid.
While his individual accolades — which also include a spot on the media’s All-Star team for the Olympics — are impressive enough, Celebrini now can bring back some useful knowledge to San Jose for the rest of the 2025-26 NHL season and beyond.
Upon returning to the Bay Area, Celebrini met with reporters Wednesday to discuss what he learned from that experience in Milan.
“I think just the mindset,” Celebrini explained. “Like I said, I think I learned a lot while I was over there just being around our coaches, some of the best coaches in the league, some of the best players in the world, some of the best players that have ever played. I mean, just their mentality, some of the things that they preach, and the message around the locker room over there — I think I can bring some of that back and just know what it takes.”
Even at his age, there’s little doubt Celebrini has the physical tools to be a star in the NHL. After all, he currently is fourth in the league in points in only his second season.
But now that he has some first-hand experience in pressure spots with plenty on the line, Celebrini could prove to be even more dangerous as he develops into a leader and guiding force for the Sharks as their Stanley Cup playoff push kicks into gear.
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