The Sharks are apparently done waiting. According to Daily Faceoff, Macklin Celebrini is set to be named the 11th full-time captain in San Jose Sharks history, with an official announcement expected before the season opener.
According to multiple sources, Macklin Celebrini will be the 11th full-time captain in Sharks history, with the official announcement expected before opening night! 🏒
For a franchise that's been searching for an identity since Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski left town, handing the keys to a teenager says everything about how San Jose views its rebuild. Celebrini was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft out of Boston University, where he won the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey as a freshman -- the youngest player ever to do so.
He didn't waste time proving it belonged in San Jose either. Celebrini scored his first NHL goal just over 7 minutes into his debut against the Blues, the second-fastest goal by a No. 1 pick in a debut behind only Mario Lemieux. He went on to become the fastest rookie in Sharks history to hit 40 points and put up the most points (63) and goals (25) ever by an 18-year-old skater in franchise history.
This past season he already wore an A as an alternate captain and was voted the team's Player of the Year by Bay Area media. He also captained Team Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Championship, so the leadership resume was already stacking up before San Jose made anything official.
Making a 19-year-old your captain is a bold call, but it's not unprecedented in the NHL -- Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid both got the C at 19 for their franchises, and both turned into franchise cornerstones for the next decade-plus. San Jose is clearly betting Celebrini follows the same arc, building the entire rebuild around him from the jump instead of waiting years to make it official.
Once it's official, Celebrini becomes the face of the Sharks in every sense -- on the ice, in the locker room, and in the marketing. Opening night just got a lot more interesting in San Jose.