The San Jose Sharks have announced the signing of forward Macklin Celebrini to a five-year contract extension. The deal is valued at an average annual value (AAV) of $18.8 million and is set to begin in the 2027-28 season. This agreement positions Celebrini as a central figure for the team’s future.
Mike Grier, the Sharks’ General Manager, highlighted Celebrini’s rapid ascent in the sport, noting his performance in the National Hockey League and on the international stage. Grier expressed enthusiasm for securing Celebrini as the cornerstone of a talented roster, emphasizing the team’s goal of building a squad capable of competing for the Stanley Cup. He also acknowledged the flexibility provided by Celebrini and his representatives during negotiations, which aids in allocating future financial resources for team construction.
Celebrini, at 20 years old, shared his satisfaction with the extension, stating his happiness to sign the deal. He cited the trust and backing from Mr. Plattner, Mike Grier, and the entire staff over the past two seasons as evidence of the team’s progress. Celebrini conveyed his and his teammates’ readiness to pursue the ultimate goal of bringing a Stanley Cup to San Jose.
Celebrini’s Impact and Performance
In the 2025-26 season, Celebrini finished fourth in the NHL with 115 points, tying for fourth with 45 goals and ranking seventh with 70 assists during the regular season. His contributions were significant in San Jose’s improvement, which saw the team achieve the second-biggest season-over-season increase in both wins (+19) and standings points (+34) in franchise history. This also marked the league’s 10th-biggest year-over-year improvement in points and tied for the eighth-biggest leap in year-over-year wins in the last 30 years, excluding the shortened 2012-13 to full 2013-14 seasons.
The second-year centerman was third in the NHL in even-strength goals with 37 and tied for third in even-strength points with 82. He established a new Sharks franchise scoring record with his final point of the campaign, a goal that completed a three-point effort in the last game of the regular season. Celebrini was involved in 46.2 percent of all Sharks goals, which was the second-best mark in the league for the season and the best ever by an NHL teenager or any San Jose skater.
When Celebrini scored a goal, the Sharks’ record was 26-6-2. They were 37-18-5 when he recorded at least one point, and 26-3-2 in games where he had multiple points. His 82 even-strength points and 37 even-strength goals are the most ever in a single season by a Shark. He also tied Thornton for the most three-point efforts by a skater in any of the team’s 35 seasons with 18, and his 31 multi-point contests tied for the second-most in a season in Sharks history.
Celebrini led the Sharks in several offensive categories by the end of the season, including goals, assists, points, plus/minus (plus-8), points-per-game (1.40), even-strength goals and points, power-play goals (eight), power-play points (33), overtime goals (2), game-winning goals, and shots (287).
His accomplishments in the 2025-26 season were notable among NHL teenagers. Celebrini joined Gretzky (1979-80) as the only players under 20 years old to achieve a season with 40-plus goals and 70-plus assists. His point total was the third-best among teenagers in a single season in league history, trailing only Crosby (120 in 2005-06) and Gretzky (137 in 1979-80). He is one of only three teenagers in league history to finish in the top five of a season’s scoring rankings. He now ranks fourth in career assists (108), fifth in scoring (178 points), and seventh in career goals (70) for NHL skaters before turning 20. His 13-game point streak from December 11 through January 10 (nine goals, 18 assists) was the second-longest in Sharks history and the second-longest ever by an NHL teenager.
Celebrini was named NHL Third Star of December after finishing fourth in the league with 25 points and third at 1.79 points-per-game. He was the league’s First Star of the Week on October 27, after accumulating 10 points (five goals, five assists) over four games, including a hat trick in a five-point performance against the New York Rangers on October 23. He was also selected as the league’s Third Star on November 23, after tallying seven points (four goals, three assists) over four games, which included two game-winning goals.
International Appearances and Accolades
This past year, Celebrini represented Team Canada at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics and the World Championship. At the Olympics, he became the youngest NHL player named to Team Canada’s roster, led the tournament in goals, and finished second behind Connor McDavid, contributing to a Silver Medal finish.
During the World Championship, Celebrini served as captain for Canada, becoming the second-youngest captain for the Senior Men’s team at a major international tournament. He recorded 14 points in 10 games and was named the Best Forward and to the tournament All-Star Team. Celebrini was also named the IIHF Male Player of the Year for 2025-26, was a Ted Lindsay Memorial Trophy Finalist, and was voted Sharks Player of the Year by Bay Area media for the second consecutive season, having also earned the award and Sharks Rookie of the Year in 2024-25.
Throughout his career, Celebrini has accumulated 178 points (70 goals, 108 assists) in 152 career games with San Jose. He was the first teenager in franchise history to score 30 goals in a season and was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2024-25, holding the franchise record for most assists and points by a rookie. The North Vancouver, British Columbia native was selected by the Sharks as the first-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Shifting Salary Landscape
Celebrini’s new contract sets a new benchmark for the NHL’s highest average annual value. This follows a period of rising cap hits in the league. Less than a month prior, Anaheim Ducks centre Leo Carlsson received an $18 million AAV through an offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers. Celebrini’s $18.8 million AAV surpasses this, making him the highest-paid player once his deal commences next July.
Prior to Carlsson, Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had reset the market in September with an eight-year extension at a $17 million cap hit for the 2026-27 season. While players like Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel signed more team-friendly deals last fall, the market has seen adjustments this summer. McDavid signed a two-year deal with a $12.5 million cap hit, and Eichel signed for a $13.5 million cap hit over an eight-year term. The new deal for Celebrini will begin in the 2027-28 season.
In the weeks following Carlsson’s signing, Chicago Blackhawks restricted free agent Connor Bedard signed a five-year deal at a $15 million AAV. This move positioned him as potentially the league’s third-highest-paid player for one season, before being surpassed by Celebrini and possibly others. The new contract for Macklin Celebrini is set to begin in 2027-28.
Source: nhl.com
