SAN JOSE – San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini can already imagine what the scene will be like in Italy less than six weeks from now.
Arriving with Team Canada, sharing a dressing room and playing with some of the NHL’s best, wearing his country’s colors as he tries to win an Olympic gold medal.
It’s all about to happen for the 19-year-old Celebrini, who was named to the prestigious Canadian Olympic men’s hockey team on Wednesday after a spectacular first half of the season.
“It’s all surreal,” Celebrini said Wednesday. “I’m just really excited and focused on how special it is to represent my country at the Olympics.”
Celebrini officially discovered he had made Canada’s star-studded 25-man roster on Wednesday when the team’s 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.
“Can’t put it into words,” Celebrini said. “I was so excited it was tough to kind of refocus on the game.”
Celebrini later capped his unforgettable day with a goal and an assist, and a shootout goal, in the Sharks’ 4-3 win over the Wild before a sellout crowd at SAP Center. Entering the game, Celebrini was the NHL’s third leading scorer with 60 points in 39 games.
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’s two top scorers. What likely helped Celebrini make the team, beyond his offensive production, is the way he plays without the puck.
“The way he plays a 200-foot game, the way he defends, the way he competes for pucks, how physical he is,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “I think that’s what probably set him apart.”
Macklin Celebrini on his excitement about being named an Olympian pic.twitter.com/XKzyMPNFog
— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) January 1, 2026
The Canadian team features 14 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goalies. The men’s hockey tournament begins on Feb. 11, and Canada’s first game is on Feb. 12 against Czechia. The Canadians, Americans, and Swedish teams are considered the favorites to win gold.
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.
Celebrini played for Canada at the World Championship in May, spending time as Crosby’s 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.
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.
With 22 goals and 40 assists so far this season, Celebrini has been involved in exactly half of the Sharks’ 124 goals this season, as he’s led San Jose to a 20-17-3 record after the team had the NHL’s worst mark at 20-50-12 last year.
“A player like Celebrini, he’s so dynamic, so exciting,” Armstrong told TSN. “He 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’s done this year, it’s phenomenal.”
Celebrini said he called his parents, Rick and Robyn, shortly after he spoke with Armstrong. Rick is the Warriors’ vice president of player health and performance.
“They did so much for me growing up. They’re the reason I’m here with all of their love and support,” Celebrini said. “When you think about representing Canada at the Olympics, you realize you’re one group representing the entire country.
“So many athletes work their whole lives for that chance, and it means something extra to be part of that.”
More Macklin pic.twitter.com/4bq0uekZwo
— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) January 1, 2026
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).
MacKinnon, McDavid, Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby, Florida’s Sam Reinhart, Colorado’s Cale Makar and Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point were named to the Canadian team in June.
Celebrini was one of four forwards named to the Olympic team on Wednesday who were not on Canada’s 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.
Other forwards named to the Canadian team on Wednesday were Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel of the Lightning, Florida’s Brad Marchand, and Mitch Marner and Mark Stone of the Vegas Golden Knights. The defense corps includes Colorado’s Devon Toews, Los Angeles’ Drew Doughty, Dallas’ Thomas Harley, Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey, St. Louis’ Colton Parayko, Philadelphia’s Travis Sanheim, and Vegas’ Shea Theodore. The goaltenders are Binnington, Logan Thompson of the Washington Capitals and Darcy Kuemper of the Kings.
Celebrini will likely not be the only Sharks player at the Olympics. Forward Philipp Kurashev is expected to be named to Switzerland’s roster, and winger Pavol Regenda will likely be on Slovakia’s 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’s team.
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