Macklin Celebrini decided to call game and then celebrated by taking off his shirt.

Rest assured, there was a bit of time in between him ending Tuesday’s game against the Utah Mammoth with another overtime winner and then going bare-chested in the San Jose Sharks’ locker room for his postgame interview session.

Before you say it’s the Joe Thornton effect after living with the newly christened Hall of Fame center, Celebrini said he did it under suggestion (coercion, under orders) from first-year teammate Ryan Reaves.

“Reavo told me we’re starting a tradition with our team,” Celebrini told the media as he wore a shark-toothed necklace in the team’s colors. “Shirts off, and you have to wear the necklace because you got it for the (player of the game). I thought it was a good idea, so we’re starting a tradition.”

As we’ve come to see in his 16-year NHL career, Reaves is fond of going “tarps off” when the cameras are on him. The necklace was meant to be available at the start of the season, but a delay in the arrival meant that its debut — and that of the shirtless interview — didn’t come until this week. For the 19-year-old Celebrini, it could be the first of many.

A long-distance, perfectly-placed snipe past Utah goalie Vitek Vanecek on the power play capped a hat trick for Celebrini and lifted the Sharks to a 9-8-3 record one-quarter of the way into the season. At the same time last season, San Jose was 6-10-4. The Sharks, which are 9-4-1 in their previous 14 games, are on pace for a 34-point improvement.

Macklin Celebrini – San Jose Sharks (13)
Power Play Goal
OT Winner pic.twitter.com/FDboaQtxUW

— NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalVideos) November 19, 2025

Will it last? Maybe, if Celebrini has any say in that. It isn’t a one-man (or one-kid?) show in San Jose, but the teenager is the conductor. He’s got 30 points, making him the fourth teen to reach that total in his first 20 games of a season. The other three are Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby.

The legend of Celebrini is being written in real time. Chicago’s Connor Bedard, the fellow No. 1 overall pick that’s blowing up on his own, got his second hat trick of the season in the Blackhawks’ win Tuesday. Hours later, Celebrini scored all three of San Jose’s goals as if to say, “I see you, Connor. Check this out.”

When it came to assessing his name being among the game’s greatest throughout history, Celebrini said, “It’s cool,” but quickly added, “I don’t really want to hear about that. That’s not what’s important.”

He sounded like a future captain, which the Sharks are clearly grooming him for by making him an alternate for the club’s home games. However, that didn’t keep others from marveling at a youngster equally capable of devouring big moments and carrying a franchise.

“Special,” defenseman Vincent Desharnais, who has played with Crosby and Connor McDavid, told reporters. “He’s special. I think everyone in here, everyone in this building, sees how special he is as a player, as a human being as well. He’s not just an a–hole and walking around and saying that he’s the best player.

“He always wants to get better every day. I’m sure next skate, he’s going to be one of the first guys on the ice to work on something else. So, it’s impressive to see and it kind of inspires everyone.”

However, it’s not all about Celebrini. It’s time to take stock of a roster that’s bringing a franchise out of dark times.

(Note: Some data provided by Natural Stat Trick and Evolving-Hockey).

Stock way up

Yaroslav Askarov, Celebrini, Will Smith

Askarov’s first start had seven pucks get by him in an overtime loss to Anaheim. It didn’t get much better over his next five. Here’s why the 23-year-old goalie wound up in this category. Ever since he allowed four goals on just 14 shots from Los Angeles on Oct. 28, Askarov has been lights out. Wins in five of his last six outings with two or fewer goals allowed in each and a terrific .959 save percentage over that run. He has been excellent.

It is more accurate to say Celebrini’s stock is through the roof. And there may be no stopping how high that stock could rise. The second hat trick of his season and third in just 90 games played keeps him in the scoring race. It may be tough for him to keep pace with Nathan MacKinnon and McDavid as the weeks and months move on, but Celebrini is a megastar whose time is now.

The 20-year-old Smith doesn’t have a bad gig, being Robin to Celebrini’s Batman. But he is making a leap after a terrific finish to his rookie season. He’s the Sharks’ second-leading scorer with 19 points, and his chemistry with his fast friend looks telepathic at times. The actual top-end offensive skill is often evident. Second-year coach Ryan Warsofsky has praised Smith’s growing competitiveness on the puck and away from it.

Stock up

William Eklund, Collin Graf, Philipp Kurashev, Shakir Mukhamadullin, Dmitry Orlov, Alexander Wennberg

Eklund, 23, missed four games due to injury. The winger flies lower on the Sharks’ radar, but he remains a solid two-way forward who can produce (13 points in 16 games) while being defensively responsible (2.35 xGA/60). Graf, 23, has emerged as a useful middle-six winger who’s become a fixture of an improving penalty kill. The goal scoring hasn’t arrived yet, but he has an overtime winner and enough skill to get into the double digits.

Kurashev, 26, came to San Jose in rehabilitative mode after his time in Chicago fizzled out. He’s responded well to two early scratches and has five goals and 11 points after totaling only seven goals and 14 points in 51 games with the Blackhawks last season.

Mukhamadullin, 23, continues to show promise as a potential defensive stopper. The Sharks’ great goaltending helps boost his impressive 1.76 CA/60, but other shot- and chance-allowing metrics are trending in the right direction.

Orlov, 34, doesn’t have the greatest defensive metrics (3.17 xGA/60), but he’s been breakeven in 5-on-5 play and has become the clear leader of the defense in his first season. He’s leading the blue line in scoring with 11 points — all assists — and tops everyone in ice time (22 minutes, 22 seconds).

Wennberg, 31, never has eye-popping numbers. Still, he’s making himself an attractive trade deadline target for the second time in his career, thanks to capable faceoff numbers and providing secondary offense.

Stock flat

Ty Dellandrea, Vincent Desharnais, Sam Dickinson, Mario Ferraro, Adam Gaudette, Michael Misa, Alex Nedeljkovic, Ryan Reaves, Tyler Toffoli

Dellandrea was challenged in training camp and responded with a strong preseason. The 25-year-old carried it into the season as he’s been in the lineup every night. He doesn’t bring much offense, and his 29.41 GF% can be much better, but he has earned Warsofsky’s trust.

Desharnais, 29, is becoming a pleasant surprise. He’s got a strong 2.20 xGA/60 and has been on the ice for only six 5-on-5 goals while averaging 16 minutes overall.

Critiquing a 19-year-old defenseman isn’t easily done, given that position for that age in the NHL. Dickinson has had his wobbles with turnovers, but he’s posted good possession numbers and expected goals metrics for a team that’s rough overall in both.

Ferraro, 27, is not slotted in the No. 1 role; he had to be out of necessity, and the results are better. He might be biding time as an impending UFA, but his trade value remains solid. No one questions his effort.

Gaudette, 29, missed four games due to injury. He’s on the first of a two-year deal and has seen his ice time spike up lately while occasionally finishing chances.

Misa, 19, is a bit of an incomplete, as the Sharks were careful to bring the center along on a development plan. He’s currently on week-to-week status rehabbing a lower-body injury.

Nedeljkovic had some challenging early moments, but he’s been the effective backup the Sharks wanted for Askarov. The 29-year-old has put up a 3-3-2/2.97/.902 line in eight starts.

Reaves isn’t just a personality that’s becoming a glue guy in the San Jose room. The 39-year-old pugilist continues to dress regularly on the fourth line and has added a couple of goals while closing in on 1,000 games (he’s at 928 now, which makes early next season a possibility).

After leading San Jose with 30 goals in his first season, Toffoli hasn’t had the same impact. He has one goal in his last nine games and just five so far, but the Sharks don’t have a negative impact (66.7 GF%) when he’s on the ice.

Stock down

Timothy Liljegren, Jeff Skinner

Liljegren appeared to start the season well as his best skills (puck movement, offensive support) came to the surface. The 26-year-old defender played 26:50, 24:28 and 27:28 in consecutive games on a road trip after returning from injury. He’s fallen out of favor with healthy scratches in three of his last four games. A big thing is he isn’t driving play (39.63 CF%).

Skinner is dealing with a lower-body injury. He was hurt on his first shift on Nov. 13 against Calgary. Before that, the winger had just one goal in 13 games after a good start.

Stock way down

Barclay Goodrow, John Klingberg, Nick Leddy

Goodrow’s defensive impact has improved after some truly garish numbers last season. The 32-year-old keeps grinding and sets a hard-working example as a respected veteran, but he’s still playing at a replacement level.

Klingberg, 33, was demoted from the top power play unit and scratched from Tuesday’s game after some recent rough performances. With just five points in 13 games, the Sharks aren’t getting the offensive payoff to balance out the turnovers and defensive slipups.

Leddy, 34, is working his way back from an Oct. 23 injury. With him, it’s about fitting on a crowded blue line when others have played better. As one of their large number of vets on an expiring contract, there will be motivation to play him if only to boost trade value.