{"id":384300,"date":"2026-01-01T05:46:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T05:46:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/384300\/"},"modified":"2026-01-01T05:46:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T05:46:17","slug":"sharks-macklin-celebrini-ecstatic-about-being-on-canadas-olympic-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/384300\/","title":{"rendered":"Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini ecstatic about being on Canada’s Olympic team"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN JOSE \u2013 San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini<\/a> can already imagine what the scene will be like<\/a> in Italy less than six weeks from now.<\/p>\n

Arriving with Team Canada,<\/a> sharing a dressing room and playing with some of the NHL\u2019s best,<\/a> wearing his country\u2019s colors<\/a> as he tries to win an Olympic gold medal.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all about to happen for the 19-year-old Celebrini, who was named to the prestigious Canadian Olympic men\u2019s hockey team <\/a>on Wednesday after a spectacular first half of the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all surreal,\u201d Celebrini said Wednesday. \u201cI\u2019m just really excited and focused on how special it is to represent my country at the Olympics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Celebrini officially discovered he had made Canada\u2019s star-studded 25-man roster<\/a> on Wednesday when the team\u2019s general manager, Doug Armstrong, called him around 8 a.m., about five hours before the Sharks hosted the Minnesota Wild. The call was brief, and it took Celebrini some time to process what was happening.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t put it into words,\u201d Celebrini said. \u201cI was so excited it was tough to kind of refocus on the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Celebrini later capped his unforgettable day with a goal and an assist, and a shootout goal, in the Sharks\u2019 4-3 win over the Wild before a sellout crowd at SAP Center. Entering the game, Celebrini was the NHL\u2019s third-leading scorer with 60 points in 39 games.<\/p>\n

Celebrini is the youngest player on the Canadian team that also features Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, the NHL\u2019s two top scorers. What likely helped Celebrini make the team, beyond his offensive production, is the way he plays without the puck.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way he plays a 200-foot game, the way he defends, the way he competes for pucks, how physical he is,\u201d Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. \u201cI think that\u2019s what probably set him apart.\u201d<\/p>\n

Macklin Celebrini on his excitement about being named an Olympian pic.twitter.com\/XKzyMPNFog<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) January 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The Canadian team features 14 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goalies. The men\u2019s hockey tournament begins on Feb. 11, and Canada\u2019s first game is on Feb. 12 against Czechia. The Canadians, Americans, and Swedish teams are considered the favorites to win gold.<\/p>\n

Armstrong said he and his management team met in early December and reached consensus on 12 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goalies, with Celebrini among the 12 forwards.<\/p>\n

Celebrini played for Canada at the World Championship in May, spending time as Crosby\u2019s linemate. Fellow Olympians MacKinnon, Bo Horvat of the New York Islanders, and goalie Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues were also on that World Championship team.<\/p>\n

Celebrini, a native of North Vancouver, British Columbia, and a former player with the Jr. Sharks youth hockey program, then made an air-tight case over the last two-plus months to be named to the prestigious team.<\/p>\n

With 22 goals and 40 assists so far this season, Celebrini has been involved in exactly half of the Sharks\u2019 124 goals this season, leading San Jose to a 20-17-3 record after the team had the NHL\u2019s worst mark at 20-50-12 last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cA player like Celebrini, he\u2019s so dynamic, so exciting,\u201d Armstrong told TSN. \u201cHe went to the Worlds and played with (Crosby). What really amazed me was how comfortable he was in that environment with those players. That says something for a young man, and then what he\u2019s done this year, it\u2019s phenomenal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Celebrini said he called his parents, Rick and Robyn, shortly after he spoke with Armstrong. Rick is the Warriors\u2019 vice president of player health and performance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey did so much for me growing up. They\u2019re the reason I\u2019m here with all of their love and support,\u201d Celebrini said. \u201cWhen you think about representing Canada at the Olympics, you realize you\u2019re one group representing the entire country.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo many athletes work their whole lives for that chance, and it means something extra to be part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

More Macklin pic.twitter.com\/4bq0uekZwo<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) January 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Sharks players who have represented Canada in previous Olympics include Owen Nolan (2002), Joe Thornton (2006, 2010), Patrick Marleau (2010, 2014), Dan Boyle (2010), Dany Heatley (2010), and Marc-Edouard Vlasic (2014).<\/p>\n

MacKinnon, McDavid, Pittsburgh\u2019s Sidney Crosby, Florida\u2019s Sam Reinhart, Colorado\u2019s Cale Makar and Tampa Bay\u2019s Brayden Point were named to the Canadian team in June.<\/p>\n

Celebrini was one of four forwards named to the Olympic team on Wednesday who were not on Canada\u2019s team that won the 4 Nations Face-Off event in February. The others are Horvat, Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals, and Nick Suzuki of the Montreal Canadiens.<\/p>\n

Other forwards named to the Canadian team on Wednesday were Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel of the Lightning, Florida\u2019s Brad Marchand, and Mitch Marner and Mark Stone of the Vegas Golden Knights. The defense corps includes Colorado\u2019s Devon Toews, Los Angeles\u2019 Drew Doughty, Dallas\u2019 Thomas Harley, Winnipeg\u2019s Josh Morrissey, St. Louis\u2019 Colton Parayko, Philadelphia\u2019s Travis Sanheim, and Vegas\u2019 Shea Theodore. The goaltenders are Binnington, Logan Thompson of the Washington Capitals and Darcy Kuemper of the Kings.<\/p>\n

\u201c(Armstrong) told me I was on the team and that he was excited for the group,\u201d Celebrini said. \u201cThe work starts now, building chemistry and looking toward Milan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Celebrini will likely not be the only Sharks player at the Olympics.\u00a0Forward Philipp Kurashev is expected to be named to Switzerland\u2019s roster, and winger Pavol Regenda will likely be on Slovakia\u2019s team. Regenda helped Slovakia win its first-ever Olympic medal, a bronze, at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. Center Alexander Wennberg and forward William Eklund also have a chance at being named to Sweden\u2019s team.<\/p>\n

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