The San Jose Sharks shelled out serious coin on Wednesday, as superstar center and 2024 No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini got his second contract out of the way. With the way offer sheets are being thrown around these days, I understand getting out in front of this.
Celebrini is now set to be the highest-paid player in the NHL when his deal kicks in during the 2027-28 campaign, as he agreed to a five-year deal with an $18.8 million cap hit. That’s nearly $1 million more than what Leo Carlsson signed for, and almost $4 million higher than Connor Bedard’s AAV.
More in the links for all the details on Celebrini’s second contract in San Jose.
In Blackhawks news, general manager Kyle Davidson’s prospect pool was well represented in a recent top-100 list published by The Athletic. Plus, Sacha Boisvert and Roman Kantserov attended the NHLPA Rookie Showcase in Chicago.
Around the league, the NHL clubs that spend their money efficiently, a report on Drake Batherson’s negotiations with the Ottawa Senators, and impacts on Matvei Michkov’s next contract.
All that & more in the Daily!
Blackhawks Offseason, News & Trade Rumors
Chicago Hockey Now: Not only did The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler name the Blackhawks the NHL’s top prospect pool, but a league-high eight of GM Kyle Davidson’s recent draft picks were featured in his top-100 prospects list. Anton Frondell leads the way, but there’s plenty of love shown for other prospects like Roman Kantserov, Nick Lardis, Sam Rinzel, and more.
Speaking of Kantserov, he and fellow Blackhawks prospect Sacha Boisvert participated in the NHLPA Rookie Showcase in Chicago on Wednesday. It was the first time Kantserov spoke with the Hawks’ media since being drafted over three years ago.
Also worth mentioning, Tab Bamford from Bleacher Nation Blackhawks claimed Kantserov appears much bigger than his listed height and weight. It will be interesting to see what he’s listed on the Blackhawks website before the start of his rookie season.
The players attending the NHLPA Rookie Showcase just arrived. First impression: #Blackhawks forward Roman Kantserov is bigger than his listed ht/wt, esp the 175 lbs
— Tab Bamford (@The1Tab) July 29, 2026
In World Junior Summer Showcase news, Mason West and the United States faced off with Samu Alalauri and Finland on Wednesday. West once again played wing on the Americans’ second line. Alalauri played right defense on Finland’s third pairing. Neither recorded a point in Finland’s 3-2 win.
More CHN: ICYMI — Blackhawks 2026 second-round pick Xavier Villeneuve was ruled unable to participate in the World Junior Summer Showcase in Windsor. Villeneuve is reportedly still rehabbing from nagging hip issues from last season.
Villeneuve was set to play alongside fellow 2026 second-round draft choice Ryan Roobroeck for Canada in the event. Roobroeck did not dress for Canada’s opening game in Ontario against Sweden on Wednesday.
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
San Jose Hockey Now: The biggest NHL news from Wednesday: Macklin Celebrini signed a record-setting contract extension with the San Jose Sharks. Sheng Peng from SJHN breaks down all the details on Celebrini’s new five-year, $94 million deal. Celebrini is set to be the highest-paid player in hockey in 2027-28, at least for the time being.
Philly Hockey Now: High-end restricted free agents are being paid more than ever. Leo Carlsson, Connor Bedard, and now Macklin Celebrini have each signed significant second contracts this summer. So, how does all this impact Matvei Michkov’s next deal with the Philadelphia Flyers?
The Athletic: Dom Lusczyszyn went over the NHL clubs that spent their money wisely, with the Carolina Hurricanes at the top of his list. The Blackhawks, however, were ranked 30th out of 32 clubs. Lusczyszyn curiously gave Connor Bedard’s second contract a D+ grade, while Alex Vlasic’s is a flat C. Seems way too harsh from an outsider’s perspective.
Daily Faceoff: While Drake Batherson has been an important player for the Ottawa Senators in recent years, his long-term future with the club remains uncertain. A recent report suggests the gap remains wide between Batherson and the Sens in recent contract talks. Batherson is heading into the final year of his current deal in 2026-27.
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