Show someone a photo of Team Canada's 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Games team with every face blurred out except Macklin Celebrini's, and they could be forgiven thinking NHL players still weren't permitted to play in the Olympics.
The 19-year-old San Jose Sharks star and 2024 first overall pick out of Boston University is having a divine second season, sitting at fourth in the league with 81 points and 28 goals to his name. Celebrini, who is already emerging as one of the preeminent stars of the NHL, looks like he belongs skating alongside the likes of Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. And in a gold or bust Olympic showing for Team Canada, Celebrini figures to be a key part as the team moves out from preliminaries.
Even in what is very possibly Captain Crosby's final Olympics, coach Jon Cooper knows who the fans are turning out to see. Indeed, moments before Celebrini scored the first penalty shot goal by an NHL player in Olympics history, Cooper acknowledged it himself when Canada earned a penalty shot in the second period in a 10-2 win over France.
“Well you know you get to pick who takes the shot right?" he asked rhetorically. "We’re on the bench. Ref comes over and says ‘Hey Coop, choice is yours!’ So I look over and Macklin’s already getting ready - and the boys all look at me like - you gonna change it up, Coop? And we all just start laughing and I was like ‘Nope! Everyone’s here to see the kid!'”
Not only is it a huge vote of confidence for the youngest NHLer to represent Canada in its history, it's also completely true. While the choice for Cooper was likely made easier by the fact Canada was already leading France 4-1, the reality is on a team helmed by some of the best players the NHL has to offer, Celebrini is emerging as a massive draw in his own right.
Macklin Celebrini college
Celebrini played college in the 2023-24 season at Boston University, where he already began breaking records.
Among his accomplishments was receiving the Hobey Baker Award, which goes to the best NCAA men's hockey player in the country. Celebrini became the youngest player to win the award, notching 32 goals and 32 assists. Boston lost in the Frozen Four semifinals to Denver 2-1.
Macklin Celebrini draft
Celebrini was selected first overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2024 NHL Draft.
San Jose had gone 19-54-9 the season before, netting about 25 percent odds to get the first overall pick in the draft lottery. When that came to pass, there was little doubt who would go No. 1 overall.
Macklin Celebrini NHL stats
In his second NHL season, Celebrini has notched 81 points (28 goals, 53 assists). He has 144 points over his past two seasons, good for 18th in the NHL (Nikita Kucherov leads the way in that span with 212).
Celebrini has also moved his plus-minus rating into the positive this season after going minus 31 in his rookie season. He's at a modest plus 10 so far this year, reflective of the better team around him. Linemates Will Smith and Kiefer Sherwood have made up a solid first three for San Jose. While the Sharks are still five points out of the final wild card spot in the West, currently held by the Anaheim Ducks, it's certainly a team on the upswing.
- 2024-25: 70 games played 63 points (25 goals, 38 assists), minus-31 rating
- 2025-26: 55 games played, 81 points (28 goals, 53 assists), plus-10 rating
Macklin Celebrini 2026 Olympic Games stats
Celebrini has already made a real imprint on the Olympics in 2026.
His six points are tied for second among all skaters, trailing only his teammate McDavid. He leads all skaters with four goals and became the first NHL player to score on a penalty shot in the Olympics. Celebrini has two assists as well.
Macklin Celebrini history representing Canada
The Olympics are the biggest stage Celebrini has represented Canada on, but it isn't the first time he's represented his country.
Celebrini initially played in the World U-17 Hockey Challenge in 2022 for Canada Black, playing in four games and notching a goal and an assist. He then played in the IIHF World U18 Championships, where hockey fans saw glimpses of his brilliance. In a bronze effort, which was netted when Celebrini scored a goal in overtime against Slovakia, Celebrini had 15 points with six goals and nine assists.
Celebrini's final two international appearances, however, ended in disappointment. In the 2024 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship, Celebrini had four goals and four assists but Canada was beaten in the quarterfinals by the Czech Republic. Then, in the 2025 IIHF World Championship, Canada was stunned by Denmark in the quarterfinals in what would end up being a miraculous run to the bronze medal game by the Danes.
Canada is still washing the taste of that disappointment out of its mouth in this international go-round, and it has played with a vengeance. It won its three preliminary games by a combined score of 20-3, 5-0 over the Czech Republic, 5-1 over Swizerland, and 10-2 over France.
Canada's next opponent in the quarterfinals is yet to be determined.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sharks star Macklin Celebrini turning heads for Canada in Olympics