Sharks superstar Macklin Celebrini drops update on contract extension after NHL 27 cover

Macklin Celebrini has become a superstar in the NHL. In the 2025-26 campaign, the San Jose Sharks forward became just the sixth teenager to score 100-points in an NHL season, while finishing fourth in the league in scoring. He also won a silver medal with Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics and was named a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award. The list of accolades continued this week, as Celebrini was honored as the NHL 27 cover athlete, becoming the youngest player to ever grace the cover and the second member of the Sharks to ever be placed on the cover.

Now, Celebrini, who will become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2026-27 season, is eligible for a contract extension. Still, the young superstar is not stressed about the future contract, according to DJ Siddiqi of HEAVY.com.

“It’s kind of whatever happens,” said Celebrini. “I’d like to get it sorted at some point, just to kind of put it behind me, and not be thinking about it next year. Also show my commitment, and put the team in a good spot where we know how everything’s going to work out. I think it is important. Obviously it may not get done this summer, but we’re definitely going to talk about it.”

The Sharks missed the playoffs by just four points in 2025-26, but have a solid young core that will continue to grow. The team still has Will Smith, Michael Misa, Sam Dickinson, and Yaroslav Askarov returning to the squad. Meanwhile, the Sharks drafted Ivar Stenberg with the second overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft.

“I think it’s safe to say making the playoffs as a team, that shouldn’t be out of the question,” said Celebrini. “We’ve made the right moves, and we have the right group to make a run, and it’s going to be my first playoff push, which I’m really excited for. We had a little bit of it last year, where we finished four points out, but I think just this year we have some important pieces that I’m excited to work with.

It is clear the franchise has a plan for the future, and part of that plan is Celebrini. Now, they need to lock up Celebrini as part of the execution of the plan.

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