Breadcrumb Trail Links
SportsHockeyNHLToronto Maple Leafs
At the age of 19, Macklin Celebrini has been one of Canada’s best players in Milan, and the Maple Leafs naturally have taken notice.
Get the latest from Terry Koshan straight to your inbox Sign Up
Published Feb 20, 2026 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 2 minute read
You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.
Macklin Celebrini of Team Canada and Teuvo Teravainen of Team Finland collide during during the Men’s Semifinals Playoff match at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Getty ImagesArticle content
When the Maple Leafs visit the San Jose Sharks on April 2, John Tavares might have a few words for Macklin Celebrini.
Words of congratulations, or something along those lines.
Article content
Article content
Tavares is among the Leafs — and just about everyone else watching the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina — who have been in awe of what Celebrini has been doing for Canada at the age of 19.
“Yeah, it does, it does (blow him away),” Tavares told the Toronto Sun this week. “He goes over there and he just looks so comfortable with who he is as a player and how he has to play.
“The stage isn’t anything more than him just having fun and playing his game. Everywhere he goes, things just kind of happen.”
Celebrini followed that script on Friday in Canada’s enthralling 3-2 victory against Finland in the semifinals in Milan.
Advertisement 2
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.
THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors
Article content
The North Vancouver native did everything but score for Canada, leading the team with eight shots on goal before assisting on Nathan MacKinnon’s power-play winner with 36 seconds remaining in the third period to send Canada to the gold-medal game. When the final horn sounded, Celebrini led all Canadian players in ice time with 25 minutes 53 seconds.
Playing on a line with MacKinnon and Connor McDavid, there has been nothing that Celebrini can’t handle, never mind times when he has been dominant.
Few scoring peers
In five games in Milan, Celebrini’s 10 points (five goals and five assists) had him second among all scorers (behind only McDavid’s 13 points) before the U.S. and Slovakia met in the other semifinal on Friday afternoon.
Advertisement 3
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
“His awareness and hockey IQ are off the charts,” Tavares said. “The tremendous attributes with his skill set, whether it’s puck-handling, playmaking, shooting — he’s very strong and he wins a tremendous amount of puck battles.
“We’ve seen it in his first couple of years in the (NHL) but on a stage like that, it’s pretty remarkable.”
Read More
Canada will play for gold after dramatic comeback win vs. Finland in men’s hockey semifinal
Mark Stone calling Mitch Marner’s clutch struggles a ‘Toronto thing’ sort of got it right
Leafs winger Bobby McMann didn’t have to force a smile when we asked him about Celebrini’s play in Italy.
“Incredible,” McMann said. “I can’t even imagine when I was that age … The part that’s crazy to me is how well-developed he is with his spatial awareness on the ice, because that’s usually something that you get when you play a longer time in the league.
“You look at guys that slow down, they’re still playing because their spatial awareness around the ice is so good, but he has that at that age, and plus he has the elite skill.
“When you mix those two, that’s how you are one of the best players in the world.”
X: @koshtorontosun
Article content
Share this article in your social network