Macklin Celebrini signed a five-year, $94 million contract with the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday. It has an average annual value of $18.8 million.
The average annual value makes the 20-year-old forward the game's highest-paid player, surpassing Leo Carlsson, a 21-year-old forward averaging $18 million for each of the next five seasons after the Anaheim Ducks matched an offer sheet July 9 after it was tendered by the Philadelphia Flyers.
Celebrini is in the final season of an entry-level contract he signed July 6, 2024, and could have become a restricted free agent. He set the Sharks' single-season record for points with 115 (45 goals, 70 assists), playing all 82 games.
"I couldn’t be happier to sign an extension today," Celebrini said. "The faith and support that Mr. (Sharks owner Hasso) Plattner, Mike Grier and the entire staff have shown me throughout the past two seasons is proof that we are building something special here. My teammates and I are ready to take another step toward the ultimate goal of bringing a Stanley Cup to this city and its incredible fans. I can't wait to get going."
Celebrini was fourth in the NHL in points, tied for fourth in goals and seventh in assists. Although the Sharks (39-35-8) missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the seventh straight season, finishing four points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the second wild card from the Western Conference, they had 39 wins and 86 points after finishing with NHL lows of 20 wins and 52 points in 2024-25. That was the second-biggest season-over-season improvement in wins (plus-19) and points (plus-34) in team history.
The Sharks were 26-6-2 when Celebrini scored a goal, 37-18-5 when he had at least one point and 26-3-2 in his multipoint games.
"In just two seasons as a teenager in the National Hockey League and on the International stage, Macklin has established himself as one of the premier players in the world," Grier said. "We are extremely excited to have him secured and committed as the centerpiece of a core of talented players in San Jose.
"As we continue our goal of building a team capable of annually competing for the Stanley Cup, we want to thank Macklin and his representatives for a respectful negotiation process, and acknowledge the flexibility they have provided to the team in how we allocate future dollars towards the team being constructed around Macklin. I also want to thank Hasso Plattner for his continued commitment and steadfast dedication to providing the financial resources to put the best team possible on the ice for our passionate fans, who deserve a winner in San Jose."
Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, has 178 points (70 goals, 108 assists) in 152 games. He helped Team Canada win a silver medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics and finished with 10 points (five points, five assists), second in the tournament behind Connor McDavid's 13 and the most by a teenager in an Olympics featuring NHL players. He also led the Olympics in goals, which tied Jarome Iginla from the 2010 Vancouver Games for the most by a Canadian in a single Olympics with NHL participation.
The native of North Vancouver said after the season he was "open to every possibility" when it comes to signing his next contract with the Sharks. He was eligible to sign his next deal July 1.
"The season just ended, and I haven't really thought about anything like that," Celebrini said. "… I'm just open to whatever happens. There's a lot of stuff that goes into it. There's nothing really that goes into it. It goes hand in hand with me. I want to commit to this team and (be) here. I love it here."
Celebrini's two goals and two assists in San Jose's 4-3 win against the Anaheim Ducks on April 1 made him the fifth Sharks skater to score at least 40 goals since the franchise joined the NHL for the 1991-92 season (Jonathan Cheechoo, 56 in 2005-06; Owen Nolan, 44 in 1999-00; Patrick Marleau, 44 in 2009-10; Joe Pavelski, 41 in 2013-14). His 102nd point passed Erik Karlsson (101; 2022-23) for the second-most in a season in Sharks history behind Joe Thornton (114; 2006-07).
He was a finalist for the 2025 Calder Trophy awarded to the NHL rookie of the year, won by Montreal Canadiens defensemen Lane Hutson.
Will Smith, a 21-year-old forward, can become an RFA after this season after he had an NHL career-high 59 points (24 goals, 35 assists) in 69 games last season. Forward Ivar Stenberg, the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, signed his entry-level contract July 2, part of a productive offseason when San Jose added forward Mason Marchment, defenseman Jacob Trouba and goalie Eric Comrie via free agency. The Sharks also landed veteran defenseman Darnell Nurse in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers for defensemen Shakir Mukhamadullin and Zack Sharp.
"I think we're building something pretty special," said 19-year-old center Michael Misa. "I think you saw it a bit last year. We were right there for the playoffs."
NHL.com staff writer Mike Zeisberger and independent correspondent Max Miller contributed to this report
