San Jose Sharks superstar forward Macklin Celebrini is eligible to sign a contract extension as of July 1 and told reporters on Saturday he has every intention of working something out.
“I want to commit to this team and being here. I love it here. So, I think I’m just open to whatever happens,” the 19-year-old said via San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng.
Celebrini talks #SJSharks extension: "I want to commit to this team and being here. I love it here." pic.twitter.com/FwjbJXNyGH
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 18, 2026
Celebrini added that he hasn’t thought much about whether he’d prefer a long- or short-term deal. He also told reporters that he spoke with Chicago Blackhawks star forward Connor Bedard -- who went No. 1 in the draft the year before Celebrini -- about the process but acknowledged situations can differ from player to player or team to team. Bedard has not yet extended with the Blackhawks and is scheduled to become a restricted free agent as of July 1.
Celebrini was impressive as a rookie but broke out in a big way in his sophomore season, scoring 45 goals and adding 70 assists for 115 points. Celebrini and the Sharks finished the regular season 39-35-8, narrowly missing out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
He finished fourth in the league in total points behind Connor McDavid (138), Nikita Kucherov (130) and Nathan MacKinnon (127). His 45 goals also ranked in a four-way tie for fourth in the league behind MacKinnon (53), Cole Caufield (51) and McDavid (48).
Celebrini was selected No. 1 overall by San Jose in the 2024 NHL Draft and played last season on the second year of his three-year, entry-level deal at a cap hit of $975,000.
Celebrini also told reporters on Saturday that he was undecided about attending the 2026 Men’s World Hockey Championship but expects to decide in the next few days.
Celebrini says he's undecided about World Championships, will probably decide in a couple days
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 18, 2026
