SAN JOSE – While Macklin Celebrini appears to have solidified his place on the Canadian Olympic roster with his outstanding play so far this season, particularly of late, other Sharks players hoping to represent their respective countries in Italy in February might still have some work to do.

Before Thursday’s Sharks game against the Dallas Stars, William Eklund and Alexander Wennberg each had 22 points, tied for 11th among all Swedish forwards. That list does not include Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, who has already been named to the Swedish team.

In their last five games before Thursday, Eklund had five points, and Wennberg had nine. Wennberg is also one of the Sharks’ leading penalty-killers.

“We’re in a similar situation, so we’re trying to grind it out together,” Eklund said of himself and Wennberg.

John Klingberg, who has been playing his best hockey of the season lately, was sixth among all Swedish defensemen with 15 points in 25 games. Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman is tied for ninth with 12 points but has already been named to the Swedish team. He is injured right now but is expected to play in the Olympics, with the men’s tournament beginning on Feb. 11.

Swiss-born Sharks forward Philipp Kurashev is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Still, per Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky, his ailment is not expected to prevent him from playing in Milano-Cortina, assuming he is selected. Barracuda forward Pavol Regenda is expected to be named to Slovakia’s team.

All countries participating in the men’s Olympic tournament must submit rosters by Dec. 31, and Canada is expected to announce its roster that day. The Swedish, American, and Finnish teams will be announced on Jan. 2. Each team can have up to 25 players, likely with 14 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goaltenders.

After Thursday, the Sharks only play four more games before Dec. 31, when they host the Minnesota Wild in a matinee.

Eklund said he’ll continue to try to put his best foot forward, but added, “I can only do the things that I do here every day. I can only control coming to the rink every day and getting better. Try and do that and see what happens.”

Celebrini was the NHL’s third-leading scorer before Thursday with 51 points in 34 games, trailing only Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (58) and Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (56), two players already named to the Canadian team.

Stars general manager Jim Nill, the assistant general manager for the Canadian Olympic team, will get another look at Celebrini on Thursday. But the second-year Sharks center may have already made his case to be on the team that goes to Italy.

Celebrini’s four-point game in the Sharks’ 6-3 win over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday was played before Hockey Canada senior vice president Scott Salmond.

“As a kid, watching the Olympics, watching World Juniors, seeing the Canadian Maple Leaf, it’s always the biggest honor,” Celebrini said of making the Canadian Olympic team. “So, it would be a dream come true.”

DICKINSON SCRATCHED AGAIN

The Sharks kept the identical defense pairs for Thursday’s game as they had in Tuesday’s win, meaning Sam Dickinson was a scratch for a second consecutive game for the first time this season.

Dickinson sitting out two straight games will only intensify speculation that the Sharks will loan him to Canada for the upcoming IIHF World Junior Championship, which begins on Dec. 26. Dickinson, 19, has three points in 26 games with the Sharks this season and is averaging 14:48 in ice time per game, mainly as a third-pair defenseman.

Warsofsky said he and general manager Mike Grier have discussed loaning Dickinson to the Canadian team, but haven’t finalized a decision. The tournament is being held in the Twin Cities in Minnesota.

Sharks prospect center Michael Misa and goalie Josh Ravensbergen are already in camp with the Canadian team, which is coached by Dale Hunter, Dickinson’s coach with the London Knights from 2022 to 2025.

Dickinson, a Toronto native, played in last year’s World Junior Championship in Ottawa, where the Canadian team lost to Czechia in the quarterfinals.

Asked if he’d like to have another chance at winning gold, Dickinson said, “Anytime you get the chance to go play for Team Canada, wherever it is, it’s an honor, and you’re always really proud of the opportunity that’s there. But like I’ve said, it’s a win-win. There’s not a better league or better competition, or anything better than what’s here in the NHL.”

LINEUP MOVES

Adam Gaudette returned to the Sharks’ lineup Thursday after he missed Tuesday’s game with an injury. He took the lineup spot of Jeff Skinner, who was a healthy scratch for the second time in five games.

Asked what was missing from Skinner’s game, Warsofsky said, “Just some details in his game without the puck. We’re going to give him some freedom to make plays that he’s done his whole career to create offense, but there needs to be some more detail without the puck in his game. It’s really what it comes down to.”