Macklin Celebrini, the teenage sensation from the San Jose Sharks, has been named the captain of Team Canada for the upcoming IIHF World Championship in Switzerland. At just 19 years old, Celebrini is the youngest player ever to wear the "C" for Canada at the tournament. The tournament takes place from May 15 to 31 in Zurich and Fribourg.
Celebrini's impressive second NHL season saw him set a Sharks record with 115 points, scoring 45 goals and 70 assists in 82 games. He finished fourth in league scoring and was a Ted Lindsay Award finalist, alongside Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov. Only Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby reached the 50-point mark faster as teenagers. Celebrini also represented Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics, where the team won silver.
Joining Celebrini are alternate captains John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ryan O'Reilly of the Nashville Predators. In a last-minute addition, Sidney Crosby will also play for Canada, marking his fourth appearance at the tournament. Canada is looking to rebound after finishing fifth last year, and Crosby's addition is a significant boost. Canada last won the World Championship in 2023.
Celebrini's leadership role underscores his importance to Canadian hockey. Drafted first overall by the Sharks in 2024, he is seen as a cornerstone for the national team. His older brother Aiden Celebrini, a Canucks prospect, was drafted by Vancouver in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft.
