Macklin Celebrini made every second count for Team Canada at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

In earning a silver medal for his country, the Sharks superstar led all players in the tournament with five goals in six games — finishing second behind Connor McDavid in total points with 10 — as a member of the media’s tournament All-Star team.

But most importantly? The 19-year-old Celebrini made his family, particularly his dad, Rick, extremely proud.

“I don’t know how you put it into words,” Rick, the Warriors’ director of sports medicine and performance, told reporters on Friday at Golden State practice. “I mean, it was an incredible experience, being there as a family unit. I felt a little guilty playing hooky from my role here, but it was certainly something that is a life memory. 

“And to see, you know, your boy — that was my fourth Winter Olympics — so to experience those professionally, but then to have the opportunity to experience it as Macklin’s dad, was a completely different experience and something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”

Rick had worked at three previous Winter Olympics in roles centered around sports medicine and performance.

In 2026, however, the 58-year-old simply got to be Macklin’s biggest fan; however, across snowy Northern Italy, the task wasn’t all just sunshine and rainbows.

“Beaming is one word,” Rick described. “Stressful, nervous, anxious at times … incredible sort of roller coaster of emotions, as you can imagine. And just the lead-up to the gold medal game with the incredible sort of tightness.

“It seemed inevitable that we were going to lose against [Czechia], and somehow pulled it off … went down early to [Finland] and pulled it off. So, you start feeling like this is maybe something that’s meant to be, and then heartbroken in the final.”

Team Canada’s crushing defeat to Team USA in the gold medal game still stings, but Macklin, individually, was one of the biggest stars of the winter games. 

And while it might’ve been just another day in the office for the nonchalant San Jose icon, his proud father remained in, well, proud father mode.

“Yeah, the whole context of it is different, you know? Rick said. “I mean, obviously, the NHL being the best league in the world, you gain a respect, and then there’s a normalization to that. 

“And then to see best on best in a tournament that is literally a one-game knockout as you go, just with the fact that it’s every four years and just everything that accompanies the aura and the reputation of the Olympics, was something that added a completely different context and intensity to the whole experience.”

The best is yet to come for Macklin.

But like fellow Bay Area superstar Steph Curry, his first Olympic run wasn’t too shabby.

“As a parent … you’re nervous, you’re anxious and then just extremely proud to see him step up and contribute in a meaningful way, and be part of the team,” Rick said. “Not the young kid that’s there for the experience and he’ll contribute next games. 

“It was nice to see him contribute in a meaningful way.”

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