After shining for Canada at two major international tournaments, San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini has been voted the IIHF’s Male Player of the Year for the 2025-26 season.
Celebrini received 40.8% of all votes while Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who backstopped Team USA to Olympic gold in February, was second with 20.4%. In its news release, the IIHF said voting was open to nearly 200 members of the media and “appropriate members of the IIHF family.”
At 19, Celebrini was the youngest Canadian player at the Olympic Games in Milan in February, scoring a tournament-leading five goals and finishing second in scoring with 10 points, becoming the highest-scoring teenager in Olympic men’s hockey history. He was also named to the tournament’s All-Star Team as Canada won the silver medal.
Following an NHL season in which he finished fourth in the league scoring with 115 points, breaking a Sharks single-season record, Celebrini, now 20, also captained Canada at the World Championship in May. He finished second in scoring with 14 points in 10 games and was named the tournament’s best forward as Canada finished in fourth place.
The IIHF Male Player of the Year award is given annually to a player who “best exemplifies exceptional skill, determination, team success, and sporting character on and off the ice during the preceding season.”
Candidates must have competed in at least one IIHF tournament as well as in a domestic league of the highest caliber for that country, the combined performances of which are deemed superior to all other players.
The IIHF Male Player of the Year trophy is permanently housed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, and the winner receives a smaller version to keep.
Other IIHF Male Player of the Year winners include Switzerland forward Sven Andrighetto in 2024-25, forward Roman Cervenka of Czechia in 2023-24, and Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard of Canada in 2022-23.