Overview
- The San Jose Sharks announced July 29 that they signed 20-year-old Macklin Celebrini to a five-year extension worth $94 million that will begin in the 2027–28 season and run through 2031–32.
- The deal carries an $18.8 million average annual value, which will make Celebrini the highest-paid player in the NHL by AAV when it takes effect and surpasses Leo Carlsson’s $18 million benchmark.
- Celebrini earned the payday after a breakout sophomore season in which he scored 45 goals and 70 assists for a franchise-record 115 points and after leading Canada in goals at the 2026 Olympics.
- San Jose general manager Mike Grier called Celebrini the team’s ‘centerpiece,’ and the team said the contract provides flexibility in how it allocates future dollars while locking up its top talent.
- Analysts warn the $18.8 million cap hit will consume a large share of the Sharks’ payroll and could complicate extensions for other young standouts such as Will Smith and Michael Misa, reshaping the club’s roster decisions in coming years.