{"id":476641,"date":"2026-09-26T17:34:55","date_gmt":"2026-09-26T17:34:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/476641\/"},"modified":"2026-09-26T17:34:55","modified_gmt":"2026-09-26T17:34:55","slug":"san-jose-sharks-name-macklin-celebrini-teams-next-captain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/476641\/","title":{"rendered":"San Jose Sharks name Macklin Celebrini team’s next captain"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN JOSE \u2013 The San Jose Sharks named Macklin Celebrini<\/a> the franchise\u2019s 11th full-time captain on Friday, making him the youngest current NHL player to hold the honor.<\/p>\n

General manager Mike Grier,<\/a> coach Ryan Warsofsky, and Celebrini will hold a news conference<\/a> at the Sharks\u2019 practice facility on Friday afternoon.<\/p>\n

On Friday morning, the Sharks posted a video of Grier holding the door open to the team\u2019s theater room at Sharks Ice for Joe Thornton, who served as San Jose\u2019s captain from 2010-2014. Thornton held a teal jersey with Celebrini\u2019s name on the back and a capital \u2018C\u2019 on the front.<\/p>\n

Thornton announced in June 2024 on stage at The Sphere in Las Vegas that the Sharks were taking Celebrini with the No. 1 overall pick in that year\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have the pleasure of introducing the captain of the San Jose Sharks,\u201d Thornton said. \u201cI know how much this guy means to everyone in the room and the whole Bay Area. So, Macklin, get up here, my friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Celebrini becomes the youngest captain in team history<\/a> and, at 20 years and 104 days old, the sixth-youngest full-time capta<\/a>in in NHL history.<\/p>\n

Making it official https:\/\/t.co\/eJDoy0ohi7<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) September 25, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI still have a lot of space to grow, I think, in my game and off the ice,\u201d Celebrini said last month. \u201cGrowing into myself as hopefully a leader for this team. We have a great group of vets that have been amazing and helped guide all of us young guys and gave us the best kind of role models as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Celebrini, a native of North Vancouver, B.C.<\/a>, has been the Sharks\u2019 leading scorer in each of his first two NHL seasons. In April, he established a new team record for scoring in a single season with 115 points in 82 games in 2025-26, breaking Thornton\u2019s nearly 20-year-old record by one point.<\/p>\n

Later in April, Celebrini, as an indication of how much respect he\u2019s garnered from his peers across the league, was named a finalist<\/a> for the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the NHL\u2019s most outstanding player as voted by members of the NHL Players Association.<\/p>\n

Tampa Bay\u2019s Nikita Kucherov and Edmonton\u2019s Connor McDavid were also finalists, and McDavid later won.<\/p>\n

Celebrini also captained Canada at the IIHF World Championship in May, a team that featured\u00a0several respected NHL veterans, including his idol, Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby, who wanted Celebrini to wear the \u2018C\u2019.<\/p>\n

Logan Couture served as the Sharks\u2019 captain from the start of the 2019-20 season until the end of 2024-25, when he announced that his playing career was ending due to a chronic injury to his groin and pelvic area. Couture began his Sharks career in 2009 and is fourth on the team\u2019s all-time scoring list with 701 points.<\/p>\n

Before last season began, the Sharks chose not to replace Couture, announcing instead that Celebrini, Tyler Toffoli, Barclay Goodrow, Mario Ferraro and Alexander Wennberg would serve as alternate captains.<\/p>\n

In July, the Sharks made Celebrini the highest-paid player in team history, signing him to a five-year, $94 million contract extension<\/a> that keeps him with the team until the end of the 2031-32 season.<\/p>\n

Friday\u2019s announcement comes just over a week after training camp began on Sept. 17, when Grier said he was in no hurry to name a captain for this season.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve said before that the captaincy in this league, it\u2019s a sacred thing to me,\u201d Grier said. \u201cIt\u2019s very important. It\u2019s not something I\u2019m in a rush to hand out to anyone. So when we do decide to name a captain, it\u2019s hopefully someone who\u2019s going to be captain for a long time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t really believe in moving the \u2018C\u2019 around every year or every couple of years, whatever it may be. So we\u2019ll take our time and make the best decision for the organization and for the players and the group.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel I\u2019m comfortable with myself and how I lead,\u201d Celebrini said last month when asked about the challenges of captaining a team, \u201cand I don\u2019t think it\u2019d really change anything in the way I approach every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Friday\u2019s announcement about Celebrini becoming the team\u2019s captain may have been revealed early<\/a> by accident.<\/p>\n

Celebrini jerseys for sale on the Sharks\u2019 website for official merchandise briefly displayed a \u2018C\u2019 on the upper left side of the star centerman\u2019s No. 71 sweater on Thursday afternoon.<\/p>\n

The image was quickly removed and replaced by a Celebrini sweater that lacked the captain\u2019s \u2018C\u2019 after it had been spotted \u2013 and shown \u2013 on a Sharks fan\u2019s social media account.<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sharks\u2019 Macklin Celebrini (71) chats with San Jose Sharks\u2019 Sam Dickinson (6) after their 10-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sharks\u2019 Macklin Celebrini (71) tries to get a shot off against Anaheim Ducks\u2019 Nikita Klepov (40) in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sharks\u2019 Ivar Stenberg (41) is congratulated on his goal by teammates, including San Jose Sharks\u2019 Macklin Celebrini (71), against the Anaheim Ducks in the second period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sharks\u2019 Macklin Celebrini (71) waits for a face-off against the Anaheim Ducks in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sharks\u2019 Macklin Celebrini (71) looks to pass against the Anaheim Ducks in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sharks\u2019 Macklin Celebrini (71) talks to San Jose Sharks\u2019 Will Smith (2) before a face-off against the Anaheim Ducks in the second period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sharks\u2019 Macklin Celebrini (71) controls the puck against the Anaheim Ducks in the second period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sharks\u2019 Macklin Celebrini (71) chats with San Jose Sharks\u2019 Luca Cagnoni (42) before the start of the second period against the Anaheim Ducks at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sharks\u2019 Macklin Celebrini (71) skates off the ice with San Jose Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (33) after their 10-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

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San Jose Sharks\u2019 Macklin Celebrini (71) chats with San Jose Sharks\u2019 Sam Dickinson (6) after their 10-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

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