Macklin Celebrini’s new contract with the San Jose Sharks has instantly become part of the conversation around the NHL’s latest young-star deals, and the comparison to Connor Bedard’s extension with the Chicago Blackhawks is hard to miss.
The Sharks announced Wednesday that Celebrini has signed a five-year, $18.8 million extension. San Jose took him first overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, and he has already established himself as one of the league’s top players.
Bedard’s extension came less than two weeks earlier. Like Celebrini’s, it runs five years, but it carries a $15 million cap hit. There’s one major timing difference, too: Bedard was already a restricted free agent, so his deal begins immediately, while Celebrini’s won’t start until the 2027-28 season.
On the ice, Celebrini has gotten off to the stronger NHL start. He has also already shown he’s a better defensive forward, and his production through 152 games - 70 goals and 108 assists for 178 points - edges Bedard’s 75 goals and 128 assists for 203 points.
Bedard, though, put together a breakout season of his own this past year. It still fell short of the level he expected because of an injury that kept him out for a month in December and January.
Before the injury, Bedard was right there with Celebrini among the league’s top five scorers. Once he was sidelined, Celebrini moved ahead.
Even with the missed time, Bedard still delivered a 30-goal, point-per-game season. It just wasn’t on the same level as the masterclass Celebrini put together for San Jose.
That leaves the obvious question: is Celebrini worth $3.8 million more than Bedard in today’s market? Both players now sit among the NHL’s top five in average annual value, but Bedard’s number comes in lower.
Celebrini’s AAV will take up 16.5% of the Sharks’ salary cap, while Bedard’s accounts for 14.4% of Chicago’s. From the Blackhawks’ perspective, that difference matters.
The Flyers’ offer sheet to Anaheim Ducks forward Leo Carlsson, who went second in Bedard’s draft, for $18 million also played a role in shaping the market. Without that move, neither player would be making this much, but the offer sheet helped push both teams to respond.
For Chicago, the extra $3.8 million in flexibility is a real advantage for Kyle Davidson and his staff. If Bedard keeps developing and eventually reaches Celebrini’s level on a permanent basis - with health obviously a big factor - the Blackhawks will be more than happy with the deal.
And as the salary cap rises over the next few years, both contracts should start to look cheaper. For now, though, Bedard’s quick commitment to Chicago and his decision to avoid any offer-sheet drama gave the Blackhawks exactly what they needed: room to keep building.
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Sharks And Penguins Re Sign Depth Forwards For Key Reason
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For the Blackhawks, it is the kind of transaction worth watching from a distance, especially as a reminder of how much value there is in identifying role players early and getting ahead of the next contract question. The cap hit on Novals deal does not even begin until the 2027-28 season, which is the sort of long-view planning more teams are trying to build into their depth charts, and it leaves plenty of time for Chicago to keep tracking the players who might eventually fit that mold. [Read more 🡒]