If you're a fan of Team Canada, the Edmonton Oilers, or even the rebuilding San Jose Sharks, there’s a lot to smile about right now. But really, anyone who appreciates high-level hockey should be paying close attention to what Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini are doing on the international stage. Because what we’re witnessing at these Olympics isn’t just a hot streak - it might be the start of something special.
Let’s start with the obvious: McDavid and Celebrini have clicked in a way that feels far too natural for two players who haven’t had much time together. Celebrini opened the scoring against Czechia off a classic McDavid setup - a play that looked like it came from two players with years of chemistry, not a few games.
And that’s the thing: this isn’t just a flash-in-the-pan connection. There’s real potential here for a long-term international partnership.
McDavid is 28. Celebrini just turned 19.
That’s a nine-year gap that actually works in Canada’s favor. It means McDavid, still in the heart of his prime, could have a running mate for the next decade of best-on-best tournaments.
And Celebrini? He’s just getting started.
If this is what he looks like now - confident, productive, and capable of keeping pace with one of the fastest, most skilled players on the planet - imagine where he’ll be in four years, or eight.
Of course, we don’t know for sure what international hockey will look like in the coming years. NHL participation in the Olympics has been a question mark before and could be again.
But if we do get a 2030 Olympic tournament with NHL players, McDavid will be 33 - likely still elite, even if he’s past his absolute peak. Celebrini will be 23, entering his own prime.
That version of Celebrini might be even better than this version of McDavid. That’s not a slight on McDavid - it’s just the natural evolution of careers.
Stars rise, and if Celebrini keeps developing the way he has been, Canada might have two alphas driving the same line.
And that’s a terrifying thought for the rest of the hockey world.
But this isn’t just about the Olympics. Whether it’s the 4 Nations Face-Off, the World Championships, or any other best-on-best event the NHL signs off on, there’s a good chance we’ll keep seeing this duo together. Every time Canada builds a roster, McDavid and Celebrini should be near the top of the list - and near the top of the lineup.
For Oilers fans, this is another layer to McDavid’s legacy. He’s already a generational player in Edmonton, a nightly highlight reel with Leon Draisaitl riding shotgun.
Now, he’s building international chemistry with the next wave of Canadian talent. That doesn’t just speak to his greatness - it speaks to his adaptability, his ability to elevate teammates no matter the setting.
And for Sharks fans? This is what hope looks like.
Celebrini isn’t just surviving on the top line with McDavid - he’s thriving. He’s producing.
He’s proving that he belongs not just in the conversation, but in the spotlight. That’s the kind of early-career performance that can set the tone for a franchise turnaround.
San Jose has its cornerstone, and he’s showing it on the biggest stage in the sport.
The beauty of this pairing is that it works for everyone. McDavid gets a young, skilled winger who can keep up with his speed and finish the chances he creates.
Celebrini gets to learn from one of the best to ever do it while contributing in big moments. And Team Canada?
They get a top-line duo that could anchor their offense for years to come.
We’ve seen these kinds of international partnerships before - think Crosby and Bergeron, or Crosby and Kunitz. Different styles, different dynamics, but the same idea: when you find a combination that works, you stick with it. McDavid and Celebrini could be the next iteration of that - the kind of automatic pairing that becomes a fixture every time Canada suits up for a major tournament.
And we should savor it. International hockey doesn’t come around often.
We’ve seen what happens when NHL players aren’t allowed to go - years of missed moments, missed matchups, and missed history. So when we do get these tournaments, when we get to see the best in the world play for their countries, it matters.
These are the moments fans remember, the ones that define eras.
Right now, McDavid and Celebrini are giving us a glimpse of what the next era might look like. They're not just putting up points - they're building something. And if this is just the beginning, the rest of the hockey world better take notice.
Because life’s pretty good right now - and it might only get better.