San Jose Sharks sign Macklin Celebrini to five-year, $94-million extension

By Liam Tremblay — 29 July 2026 — 3 min read

The San Jose Sharks announced on Wednesday that they have signed Macklin Celebrini to a five-year, $94-million contract extension. This agreement secures Celebrini with the Sharks through the 2031-32 season.

Celebrini had one year remaining on his three-year, $2.925-million entry-level contract before finalizing this new deal. The extension carries an average annual value of $18.8-million, which is noted as the richest in NHL history. This figure surpasses the $18 million per year received by Leo Carlsson when Anaheim matched a five-year offer sheet from Philadelphia.

Celebrini’s Impact and Performance

Mike Grier, the Sharks general manager, stated that Celebrini has established himself as one of the premier players globally in just two seasons as a teenager in the National Hockey League and on the international stage. Grier expressed excitement about securing Celebrini as a central figure for a talented group of players in San Jose.

Celebrini, who was the first-overall pick in 2024, made a significant impact last season. In his age-19 season, he finished fourth in the league in both goals, with 45, and points, with 115. His performance set a Sharks franchise record for a single season with 115 points, exceeding a previous record.

His point total ranks as the third-highest by a teenager in a single NHL season, behind Sidney Crosby‘s 120 points in 2005-06 and Wayne Gretzky‘s 137 in 1979-80. Celebrini also joined Crosby and Gretzky as the only teenagers in league history to finish among the top five in NHL scoring in a season. He finished 56 points ahead of the team’s next-closest scorer, Will Smith, marking the widest gap for any NHL team’s top scorer to its second-ranked since 1990-91.

Celebrini recorded a point on 46.2 per cent of San Jose goals, which was the second-best rate in the league, trailing only Connor McDavid‘s 48.9 per cent, and the best ever for a teenager. He also became the second teenager in NHL history, after Wayne Gretzky, to achieve at least 40 goals and 70 assists in a season. He finished fourth in the voting for the Hart Trophy as league MVP.

Looking Ahead for the Sharks

Celebrini expressed his happiness about signing the extension, acknowledging the faith and support shown by owner Hasso Plattner, Mike Grier, and the entire staff over the past two seasons. He stated that he and his teammates are ready to work towards bringing a Stanley Cup to the city.

Beyond his success with the Sharks, Celebrini earned a silver medal playing for Canada at the Olympics, scoring five goals in the tournament. He also captained Canada to a fourth-place finish at this summer’s world hockey championship and earned IIHF male player of the year honours. The North Vancouver, B.C. native has accumulated 178 points (70 goals, 108 assists) in 152 career games over two NHL seasons.

The Sharks have not made the playoffs since the 2018-19 season. With his extension now in place, Celebrini will focus on helping the team reach the playoffs. The team also features young players like Will Smith, Michael Misa (the 2025 second overall pick), and Ivar Stenberg (the 2026 second overall pick). Additionally, San Jose has acquired veteran defencemen Darnell Nurse and Michael Kesselring through trades, and signed defenceman Jacob Trouba and forward Mason Marchment in free agency.

Source: sportsnet.ca