Macklin Celebrini open to contract talks with Sharks after record 115-point season

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini said he would consider taking less than market value on a contract extension to give the team more flexibility. The 20-year-old is eligible to sign the extension this offseason and has one year left on his entry-level contract with a $975,000 salary cap hit.

Celebrini recorded 115 points in the 2025-26 season, setting a Sharks franchise record, and scored 45 goals, the second-most in team history.

He was selected first overall in the 2024 NHL Draft and finished as a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award. He was also named Male Player of the Year by the International Ice Hockey Federation after recording five goals and five assists in six games for Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics. "I mean, that's why all of us play.

We're competitive and we want to win," Celebrini told ESPN last week. He added that he has considered how taking a discount could help the team make necessary moves, citing examples like Sidney Crosby's earlier contracts with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Celebrini said discussions about recent high-value deals, including Leo Carlsson's five-year, $18 million average annual value offer sheet with the Anaheim Ducks, have been common among players.

He noted the rising salary cap will likely make such numbers more common. Celebrini said he plans to be patient during negotiations. "I think it's just whenever it makes sense for both sides. There's no reason to rush," he said.