San Jose Sharks
Team Canada Must: Macklin Celebrini Record-Breaking Rookie Run Continues
Macklin Celebrini hits 50 points in 34 games, breaking Sharks records and forcing Team Canada to make room ahead of Olympic roster decisions.
Macklin Celebrini isn’t just having a great rookie season — he’s forcing Team Canada to rethink the way its considered the Olympic selection process. For a team that hasn’t made up its mind entirely, but it is set to announce the roster on New Year’s Eve, there is no doubt any longer that Celebrini has to be on it.
Back in August, Sidney Crosby said, “He’s an incredible player. His all-around game at his age is pretty impressive […] He’s earned the right to be in the conversation.” It’s a little bit more than that now. “I don’t know how you can’t put him on that team,” said Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky.
The 19-year-old San Jose Sharks phenom hit the 50-point mark Tuesday night, doing so in just 34 games. No player in Sharks history has ever reached that milestone faster. The previous benchmark was 37 games, and Celebrini blew past it while barely breaking a sweat.
Celebrini finished the night with two goals and two assists, marking his 12th career three-point game and him becoming the 10th teenager in NHL history with three career four-point games. Celebrini now finds himself sharing space in the NHL’s 50-point club with names like Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon.
That’s not hype. That’s the stuff of a kid who isn’t going to be denied.
Celebrini With Another 4-Point Night for the Sharks
One game removed from leading a five-goal comeback win, Celebrini followed it up with another four-point night. The highlight moment came on a jaw-dropping spin-o-rama goal that’s already looping endlessly across social media.
“At this point, it’s not surprising… but it still is,” a teammate said afterward. “He proves every night why he’s one of the best players in the league.”
Even head coach Ryan Warsofsky tried — unsuccessfully — to downplay it. “He was just okay,” Warsofsky joked, before admitting the obvious. “He’s a special one. Every time you think he might slow down, he doesn’t. He just keeps going.”
The timing couldn’t be more significant. With Canada’s Olympic roster set to be revealed in a couple of weeks, Celebrini’s case is becoming impossible to ignore. And, with Connor Bedard out with an injury, Celebrini becomes the shoo-in choice that Canada can’t afford not to make. At this point, Team Canada doesn’t need to debate it. They need to make room.
He’s age-eligible for the World Juniors — and might still force his way into a top-six role on Canada’s Olympic team.
Next: Matthew Schaefer Needs To Be On Canadian Olympic Roster
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