{"id":431843,"date":"2026-08-13T15:38:08","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T15:38:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/431843\/"},"modified":"2026-08-13T15:38:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T15:38:08","slug":"my-favorite-celebrini-shift-last-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/431843\/","title":{"rendered":"My Favorite Celebrini Shift Last Year (+)"},"content":{"rendered":"

When did I know that Macklin Celebrini had become a superstar on the ice?<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t a goal. It wasn\u2019t an assist. It wasn\u2019t when the 19-year-old was selected by the Canadian Olympic team. It wasn\u2019t when Celebrini broke the San Jose Sharks\u2019 single-season record for points.<\/p>\n

It was a jaw-dropping sequence of plays in the 10th game of the season, a 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 28.<\/p>\n

Hockey tactics guru Jack Han<\/a> also added his thoughts about Celebrini.<\/p>\n

There are lots of players who can execute each of these plays, but not many who can string them together at NHL top speed.<\/p>\n

Kevin Fiala (22) tries to protect the puck for a Los Angeles exit, but Celebrini (71) is on top of him, low and quick and strong.<\/p>\n

Two Kings, Quinton Byfield (55) and Brandt Clarke (92), give Fiala options, and Fiala is able to shake the Terminator off for a second.<\/p>\n

Fiala advances the puck to Byfield, but Celebrini doubles back on the big center.<\/p>\n

6-foot-5 Byfield hesitates, trying to make a play, and 6-foot-0 Celebrini separates him from the puck. Fiala cruises by to help, but Celebrini is able to bat the puck out of the air.<\/p>\n

Now it\u2019s Clarke\u2019s turn in the terrordome: Clarke is able to stick the puck away from Celebrini\u2019s forehand. Surely, Celebrini is less dangerous on the backhand? Instead, Celebrini turns the tables, holding the puck on his backhand, away from an outstretched Clarke and Byfield. Celebrini holding the puck high protects the puck.<\/p>\n

Two Kings on one Shark, that means there\u2019s an open man. When they reach, he teaches: Celebrini fires a no-look backhand pass to Will Smith (2).<\/p>\n

Smith, perhaps not expecting the heat on the pass, can\u2019t quite corral it.<\/p>\n

Celebrini (71) incredible sequence disrupting Fiala (22) and Byfield (55) exit, beats Clarke (92) with pass (10\/28\/25) pic.twitter.com\/ouAc80yaEw<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 San Jose Hockey Now GIFs (@sjhockeynowGIFS) August 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

But that was 15 seconds of what makes Celebrini such a singular player, on both sides of the puck, a special sequence from a special player.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when I knew that Celebrini wasn\u2019t just a typical sophomore sensation.<\/p>\n

The San Jose Sharks<\/a> superstar had just one assist in defeat, but I wrote in my game diary, \u201cI think he\u2019s making the Olympic team.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCelebrini is the closest I\u2019ve seen to Crosby at this stage of his career,\u201d Han said. \u201cAt the same age, McDavid was a bit less polished in terms of knowing what to do off the puck.\u201d<\/p>\n

Han also had praise for Celebrini plays right before my highlighted sequence: \u201cHe covers for the pinching RD, then spreads the ice when Toffoli has full possession\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s John Klingberg (3) gaining the zone with the puck, Celebrini trailing up high, covering for Klingberg on the rush.<\/p>\n

Klingberg tries to give it back to Celebrini but can\u2019t connect.<\/p>\n

On the San Jose Sharks\u2019 next foray down the ice, Tyler Toffoli (73) dumps it in, and Celebrini is right place, right time on the forecheck.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo subtle plays to make his teammates look good shows understanding of the big picture, in terms of where to position himself,\u201d Han said.<\/p>\n

What does this say about Celebrini in the big picture?<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to have that level of awareness to be a 50-goal or 100-point guy in the NHL,\u201d Han said. \u201cAt the lower levels, you can reach those milestones by playing a selfish game. But in the NHL, the guys who do it are the unselfish ones, because they know how to leverage their teammates.\u201d<\/p>\n

Han observed that this has been Celebrini\u2019s game the whole time \u2014 he hasn\u2019t really had to change his game for the NHL.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe structure of his game hasn\u2019t really changed since NCAA,\u201d Han said, \u201cwhich is why we saw him take huge leaps in effectiveness as he got used to the [NHL].\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead, Celebrini was bending the NHL to his will, even early last season. <\/p>\n