Macklin Celebrini Is Making the Olympic Stage His Own - And His Family’s Living Every Moment
Macklin Celebrini’s Olympic debut hasn’t just been a breakout performance - it’s been a full-on coming-out party on the international stage. The 18-year-old San Jose Sharks phenom has quickly become one of Team Canada’s most exciting contributors at the 2026 Winter Games, and while fans are soaking in his rise, no one’s feeling it more than his own family.
Rick Celebrini, Macklin’s father and the Golden State Warriors’ VP of player health and performance, is no stranger to elite-level sports. He’s spent years around some of the most finely tuned athletes in the world.
But watching his son lace up for Team Canada? That hit different.
“The first game, I was legit nervous,” Rick admitted. “I’ve been more nervous than I’ve been in a long time watching any of the kids’ sports games. And I think Mack was - well, I know Mack was really nervous as well.”
And who could blame them? This wasn’t just another game.
This was the Olympics. The pressure, the spotlight, the weight of the maple leaf on your chest - it’s a lot for any player, let alone a teenager making his first appearance on the world’s biggest hockey stage.
But those nerves didn’t linger for long.
In Canada’s opener against Czechia, Celebrini got his stick on a puck in front of the net and tipped in the team’s first goal of the tournament - a tone-setting moment in what turned into a 5-0 rout. That goal didn’t just break the ice on the scoreboard - it broke the tension in the Celebrini household.
“When he scored that goal, I think it settled us all down,” Rick said. “I think the whole team was nervous. But I think when he got that tip goal, it just kind of allowed us to breathe a little bit and relax.”
Since that opening salvo, Celebrini has only elevated his game. He’s found the back of the net four times through Canada’s first three preliminary-round matchups, showing the kind of poise and offensive instinct that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
What’s remarkable is how quickly this all came together. Even Rick Celebrini didn’t expect this Olympic moment to arrive so soon.
“Up until the start of the season, when he got off to a pretty good start, I didn’t think that this year would be realistic,” he said.
But Macklin’s performance in San Jose changed the calculus - fast. After a strong rookie campaign, the young forward took another leap in his second NHL season. His growth, both in skill and confidence, made his Olympic selection less of a dream and more of a natural next step.
And now, here he is - not just wearing the Team Canada jersey, but making an impact for a squad chasing gold.
“It is crazy,” Rick said. “Not only is he playing, but he’s contributing in a meaningful way and having fun out there. And by extension, so are we.”
That joy is evident - in the way Macklin plays, in the way he celebrates with teammates, and in the way his family is soaking in every shift. For a kid still in his teens, he’s handling the pressure with the maturity of a veteran and the spark of someone who knows he belongs.
As Canada pushes deeper into the tournament with eyes on the top of the podium, Macklin Celebrini is doing more than holding his own - he’s helping lead the charge. And for his family, it’s a ride they won’t soon forget.