{"id":248407,"date":"2026-04-02T12:53:37","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T12:53:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/248407\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T12:53:37","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T12:53:37","slug":"san-jose-sharks-macklin-celebrini-states-his-case-for-hart-trophy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/248407\/","title":{"rendered":"San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini states his case for Hart Trophy"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN JOSE \u2013 At this point, it\u2019s not about asking why Macklin Celebrini should win the Hart Memorial Trophy <\/a>this season as the NHL player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team.<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s about trying to find reasons why Celebrini shouldn\u2019t win the award.<\/a><\/p>\n

There aren\u2019t many,<\/a> at this point.<\/p>\n

In his latest electrifying performance, Celebrini, on national television, scored the tying goal with 1:39 to go in the third period and assisted on Alex Wennberg\u2019s game-winner with 31 seconds left as the Sharks earned a heart-stopping 4-3 victory<\/a> over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday before a euphoric announced crowd<\/a> of 16,146 at SAP Center.<\/p>\n

Celebrini had two goals and two assists, and after both of his goals, Sharks fans serenaded him with chants of \u201cMVP, MVP,\u201d just like they did on Monday when the teenager had two goals and an assist in San Jose\u2019s 5-4 win<\/a> over the St. Louis Blues.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can talk about him all day,\u201d Wennberg said of Celebrini. \u201cHe\u2019s a game changer. He\u2019s the leader right here. He\u2019s stepping up and making key plays. He\u2019s making the difference. I feel like everyone\u2019s (giving) a great effort: goaltending, defensively.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut (Celebrini) just had a little bit extra, and it changed the game. It\u2019s just unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SanSan Jose Sharks\u2019 Macklin Celebrini (71) celebrates his goal against the Anaheim Ducks in the third period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

Going into their game Thursday<\/a> against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Sharks, with 77 points, are tied with the Nashville Predators for ninth place in the Western Conference. Both teams are one point back of the Los Angeles Kings for the second wild card spot<\/a> in the West.<\/p>\n

Leading the Sharks to the playoffs would only strengthen Celebrini\u2019s case for the Hart.<\/p>\n

Celebrini is fourth in NHL scoring<\/a> with 105 points, behind only Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid\u2019s 125 points and Colorado Avalanche center and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, who have 121 points each.<\/p>\n

All three of those players have their teams solidly in the playoffs, with the Avalanche atop the NHL standings.<\/p>\n

Those players also have established and prolific supporting casts. McDavid is joined by the NHL\u2019s top scoring defenseman in Evan Bouchard, and up until recently, also had forward Leon Draisaitl, who remains the NHL\u2019s fifth leading scorer despite being injured for the last two-plus weeks.<\/p>\n

THE FIRST EVER TNT IMPROMPTU DOUBLE INTERVIEW\u2026 <\/p>\n

MACKLIN WITH A GUEST APPEARANCE FROM RYAN REAVES \ud83d\ude31 pic.twitter.com\/HHEy4VN05O<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) April 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Kucherov is aided by forwards Jake Guentzel and Brandon Hagel, who have a combined 154 points. MacKinnon is on the NHL\u2019s top team and is backed by forward Martin Necas and two-time Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar, who have a combined 167 points. Makar is currently injured but still has 73 points in 75 games.<\/p>\n

Celebrini, who does not turn 20 until June, is backed by a group that\u2019s growing more confident with each day. Sharks fans shouldn\u2019t underestimate the contributions made by second-year forward Will Smith and veteran centerman Wennberg, who are second and third<\/a> on the team in scoring with 54 and 50 points, respectively.<\/p>\n

But the Sharks are simply not knocking on the door of a playoff spot \u2013 not even close, actually \u2013 without Celebrini.<\/p>\n

The stats are eye-popping, to say the least.<\/p>\n

When Celebrini has at least one point in a game, the Sharks are 34-16-4. When Celebrini has two or more points, the Sharks are now 24-3-1.<\/a><\/p>\n

And as everyone who knows the team is aware, the Sharks are 1-15-3 when Celebrini is scoreless.<\/p>\n

Want more numbers and historical marks?<\/p>\n

Celebrini has now scored on 47.3% of the Sharks\u2019 goals<\/a> this season, the highest share ever for a teenager. Wayne Gretzky, the NHL\u2019s all-time leading scorer, had points on 45.5% of Oilers goals in 1979-80 when he was 19. Only McDavid, 29, has a greater goal share this season at 47.9%.<\/p>\n

\"SanSan Jose Sharks\u2019 Macklin Celebrini (71) and San Jose Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov (30) celebrate their 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

Celebrini felt he was letting the team down<\/a> recently after scoring just one point in five games from March 17 to 26. The Sharks went 0-4-1 in those games.<\/p>\n

But since then, Celebrini has five goals and four assists in three games, and, not surprisingly, the Sharks won all three to move right back into the playoff picture.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s just who he is, right?\u201d Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said of Celebrini\u2019s self-criticism last week. \u201cOf course, we were all frustrated with the losing streak and being ultra-competitive, frustration wears on you, and it can kind of get you off kilter there a little bit with your game. Not just individually, but as a group.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat happened, and we got it back on the rails. And Mack\u2019s a big reason for that. He drags a lot of guys into the fight. We saw that. We\u2019ve seen that since day one, really. But his teammates have done a really good job as well, helping him and picking him up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Celebrini gave all kinds of credit to his teammates for Wednesday\u2019s win, from Yaroslav Askarov\u2019s 28 saves to Zack Ostapchuk\u2019s third-period fight with Jeffrey Viel to Wennberg\u2019s screen on the late tying goal.<\/p>\n

Still, the Sharks have only one MVP, and his performance on Wednesday, in recent games, and this season, might not only result in a playoff spot but in the Hart Trophy, voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, in what\u2019s been a season for the ages.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud of the group,\u201d Warsofsky said. \u201cNo one thought we\u2019d be here, let\u2019s be honest. And here we are, and we\u2019re going to embrace it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we had expectations of ourselves. You can say all you want about the division or the position we\u2019re in,\u201d Celebrini said. \u201cThe goal is to make the playoffs, and that\u2019s what we\u2019re going to try to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

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