Macklin Celebrini’s work habits are already getting attention, and Gavin McKenna says the San Jose Sharks star takes the ice time to another level.
McKenna, the Toronto Maple Leafs rookie and fellow first-overall pick, said he has been training in Vancouver with Celebrini and a group of NHL players. The sessions, by McKenna’s telling, have been relentless.
“My trainers probably won’t like to hear this, but there was a week where we were on the ice for like 17 hours,” McKenna told NHL.com’s Tracey Myers about Celebrini. “So, yeah, Mack’s crazy, but every skate out there you’re getting better.
And it’s a competitive group. So, I’ve had a lot of fun with it.”
San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier echoed that picture on Wednesday, joking about just how much Celebrini wants to stay on the ice.
“It’s July and we’re already trying to tell him, kick him off the ice, that he’s on the ice too much, working on his game,” Grier said, joking not joking, about Celebrini on Wednesday.
McKenna also described Celebrini as someone who keeps a serious routine on and off the ice.
“He’s a pretty intense guy when it comes to his off-ice and on-ice stuff,” McKenna added.
The comments come as Celebrini continues to draw attention around the league after signing his historic $94 million contract. Grier also said Collin Graf’s contract extension is close, and there’s been plenty of reaction around how the Celebrini deal changes expectations for both Celebrini and Grier.
There’s also been discussion about what Celebrini’s extension means for the Sharks’ long-term cap situation, along with broader questions around whether Celebrini is worth more than $18.8 million per-year.
The deal has already sparked other ripple effects, including how it may shape the market for young NHL stars going forward.
In Other News...
Sharks Just Sent A Clear Message With Macklin Celebrini
The Sharks have made their intentions unmistakable with Macklin Celebrini, locking up the centerpiece of their rebuild long before they had to. San Jose signed the young star to a five-year, $94 million contract extension that does not begin until the 2027-28 season, a move that cements him as the franchise face and puts him at the center of everything the organization wants to build.
For a team still trying to climb back into contention, the deal is as much about message as money. It gives the Sharks long-term stability with a player they believe in, and it comes with a structure that includes a significant portion in signing bonuses, underscoring just how heavily the club has invested in keeping Celebrini in teal for the foreseeable future. [Read more 🡒]
Will Smith Just Became A Bigger Priority For The Sharks
Mike Griers latest move only sharpened the Sharks next big task. After locking up Collin Graf on a three-year deal, San Jose now has a clearer picture of its young forward group and a little more urgency to address the player who may matter most in the long run. Will Smith, the 21-year-old and 2023 fourth overall pick, has already shown enough offense in his first two NHL seasons to make him one of the more important pieces in the organizations rebuild.
The Sharks also have the cap flexibility to make a serious push next summer, which should help when it comes time to handle Smith along with other restricted free agents. The tricky part is finding the right number, and that conversation could be shaped by the market for similar young centers around the league. For San Jose, this is the sort of negotiation that can quietly define the direction of the roster, even if the final agreement is still some time away. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Just Set Up The Macklin Celebrini Debate Fans Expected
Macklin Celebrinis rise has already become one of the defining stories in San Jose, and his new five-year extension only deepens that conversation. The 20-year-old coming off a 115-point season was always going to command a massive number, but the Sharks managed to lock in their franchise centerpiece early, with the deal set to begin in the 2027-28 season and giving the organization a clearer long-term direction.
What makes the contract stand out is how it positions San Jose for the years ahead. Even with Celebrinis place at the center of the rebuild secure, the structure leaves the Sharks with more flexibility than many expected for a player at this level, and it immediately invites the larger question fans were waiting for: how high could the number have gone if the team and Celebrini had pushed all the way to the ceiling? [Read more 🡒]