The 2025 IIHF World Championship ended with disappointment for Team Canada, but plenty of their players had positive takeaways from the tournament, perhaps none more so than Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks. At just 18 years of age, he followed up a strong rookie season by making his first appearance with Canada’s senior national team and posting six points and a plus-9 rating in eight games before their upset loss to Denmark in the quarterfinals. He played alongside some of the best Canadian players in recent NHL history, winning their approval in the process, and received a meaningful chance in the early stages of his career.
Celebrini Teams up with Superstars
Canada’s roster had plenty of top-tier centers, so much so that Celebrini, a natural center, spent much of the tournament playing on the wing instead. That was hardly a problem, though — he got to play on a line centered by Sidney Crosby, and the two made for a great tandem. They teamed up for multiple goals and shared some funny moments together as well.
As one of the youngest players in the NHL, Celebrini got a rare opportunity to study and learn from players he admires and wants to model his career after, such as Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon. Even in just a handful of games in a single tournament, he relished the chance to share the ice and a locker room with those stars.
“It’s everything,” Celebrini told reporters. “It’s just being around them. Playing with them. Going to dinner with them. Everything. I think playing with some of the best players in the world and getting to learn from them and talk to them and watch how they approach the game and do things … that’s something I don’t take for granted.”
Despite his age, Celebrini looked like he belonged at a top-tier international tournament. He played with confidence beyond his years on offense, consistently made good decisions with the puck and showed off his competitiveness on both sides of the ice. He made positive contributions to Canada’s play and showed why he’s one of the best 18-year-olds in recent NHL history. Crosby and MacKinnon were both asked about what advice they would give him, but they both offered praise instead.
“I don’t really have much advice,” Crosby said. “He’s handled it pretty well. He’s mature. He loves the game. Loves to compete. He cares about every facet of the game on both sides of the puck. With experience, obviously everything…
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