NHL EDGE stats: Celebrini adds to Canada’s generational talent

NHL.com's fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we look at Macklin Celebrini carrying over his elite play from the San Jose Sharks in the NHL to the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

---

Macklin Celebrini has shown all the signs of being a superstar for the San Jose Sharks in the NHL and is adding to Canada’s generational talent at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

Celebrini had three points (one goal, two assists) in Canada's 4-3 overtime win against Czechia to help his country advance to the semifinals of the 2026 Olympics. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft now leads the entire tournament in goals (five) and ranks second in points per game (2.25; nine in four games) behind Connor McDavid (2.75; 11 in four games), who has been his frequent linemate.

Among Olympic tournaments that have included NHL players, Celebrini has already surpassed Evgeni Malkin (2006: six points in seven games) for the most points by a teenager and Olli Määttä (2014; three goals in six games) for the most goals by a teenager. Celebrini has become the fourth player to score goals in four straight Olympic games involving NHL players; the others were Marian Hossa (2006), Teemu Selanne (2006) and Mats Sundin (2002). In Canada's win against France in the preliminary round, Celebrini also became the first NHL player to ever score a penalty shot goal at the Olympics.

Celebrini has seen time on a line with McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, who are widely considered the two best players in the NHL, during the Olympics. Celebrini ranks fourth in the entire NHL in points this season (81 in 55 games), tied for third in assists (53) and third in even-strength points (57). McDavid leads the NHL in points (96 in 58 games) playing for the Edmonton Oilers, while MacKinnon is second (93 in 55 games) playing for the Colorado Avalanche.

Celebrini has joined forces with McDavid, who leads active NHL players in career points per game (1.53), MacKinnon and defenseman Cale Makar, who won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022. McDavid is a three-time Hart Trophy winner as the NHL’s most valuable player in the regular season and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as Stanley Cup Playoff MVP in 2024. MacKinnon won the Hart Trophy in 2024, while Crosby is a two-time Hart winner (2007, 2014) and two-time Conn Smythe winner (2016, 2017). Makar is a two-time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s top defenseman in the regular season and also won the Conn Smythe in 2022.

Canada veteran Sidney Crosby, a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins ranks eighth on the NHL’s all-time points list (1,746 in 1,408 career games). Crosby, who is a two-time Hart winner (2007, 2014) and two-time Conn Smythe winner (2016, 2017), did not return to Canada’s quarterfinal game after sustaining an injury in the second period.

Here are three underlying metrics storylines behind Celebrini’s NHL prowess this season that have reaffirmed Canada being the gold medal favorite at the Olympics:

1. Shot speed

Celebrini, the youngest NHL player at the 2026 Olympics, ranks sixth among the League's forwards in hardest shot (97.89 mph; 99th percentile at position) this season. Celebrini, who has had four 90-plus mph shot attempts this season after not having any as a rookie, also ranks highly at his position in average shot speed (62.39 mph; 95th percentile).

This season, Celebrini has had the six hardest shot attempts of his career and four of the Sharks’ nine hardest shots as a team. Celebrini has scored 28 goals this NHL season (tied for 14th in NHL) and is tied for the second-most wrist shot goals (17) behind Filip Forsberg (18).

2. Shots by location

Celebrini ranks second in the entire NHL in both midrange shots on goal (101) and midrange goals (15) behind his Olympic teammate MacKinnon in each category. Celebrini, who also ranks highly at his position in high-danger goals (10; 87th percentile among forwards), is tied for fifth in the entire NHL in high-danger and midrange goals combined (25).

Celebrini also ranks among the forward leaders in long-range shots on goal (21). He has had 18 games this season with at least five shots on goal, tied for the fourth-most such games in the entire League behind MacKinnon (24), McDavid (22) and Tage Thompson (19).

3. Skating speed

Celebrini’s skating ability, in terms of speed and workload, are also among the best in the NHL this season. He’s in the 95th percentile among forwards in 20-plus mph speed bursts (140), fourth at the position in total skating distance (195.55 miles) and also ranks highly in offensive zone time percentage (62.0; 89th percentile).

Celebrini and the Sharks’ young core, which also features his frequent linemate Will Smith (No. 4 pick in 2023 NHL Draft), has made them one of the most-improved teams in the League this season. The Sharks (27 wins in 55 games) have already surpassed their win total from last season (20 in 82 games) and are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.

Now, with Canada still the favorite to win the gold medal at the Olympics, Celebrini has helped his country form some of the most-complete lines that the sport has seen in decades involving three generations of all-world talent.

---