After waiting almost the entirety of July for some news, Macklin Celebrini has signed a 5-year, $94 million contract extension. Since he has only played two seasons in the NHL, this coming season will be the last on his original entry level contract. The following season, 2027-2028, his new contract kicks in and he becomes the highest paid player with an annual average of $18.8 million.
$18.8 million is definitely a staggeringly large amount of money, but the young superstar is well worth it. He had a historic season: he broke Joe Thornton’s franchise single season point record with 115 points (45G, 70A), became the youngest player to represent Team Canada in an Olympics with NHL participation, and became the captain for Team Canada in the World Championship, with Sidney Crosby himself passing the torch…all before turning 20-years-old. Plus, according to Sharks General Manager, Mike Grier, he could’ve asked for $20 million and he would’ve gotten it, so he essentially took a discount. Also relative to cap space, he didn't really take up that much. However, there is a not-so blatantly obvious term at the end of this new contract: Celebrini will become an unrestricted free agent once it ends.
Having Celebrini locked in for the next six seasons is absolutely something to look forward to and build off of, but what happens when the contract ends? In the scheme of things, five years isn't that long. Celebrini will be only 26-years-old when he enters free agency, just beginning to enter his prime. His ability to walk into free agency unrestricted before he even reaches his peak gives him a large amount of power to yield, especially given his new contract. In a way, it feels like a little bit of an ultimatum: if we’re not genuine playoff contenders in the next few years, I’ll take my talents and win elsewhere. He can only take so many blown leads and defensive breakdowns. Defense can only go up from last season, and there are some pieces to be excited about, but the bar is low.
At the end of the day, getting Macklin Celebrini on some form of contract before the beginning of the season is a good move. With one more year on his entry level contract before his flashy new 5-year contract kicks in, the Sharks have locked him in for six years. The future is bright for the Sharks, and it’s all built around Macklin Celebrini. Celebrini’s offensive firepower, defensive responsibility, and leadership can help pave the way for other young players-like incoming 2026 second overall draft pick, Ivar Stenberg-and make the Sharks a genuinely tough opponent to look out for for years to come. Macklin Celebrini has officially set the league standard.
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