DENVER — Macklin Celebrini has received Nathan MacKinnon’s stamp of approval.
Over the summer, the teenage San Jose Sharks star played with MacKinnon at the World Championships. Celebrini and Will Smith then joined superstars MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby, among others, for training and golf in Nova Scotia before training camp.
“He’s super dedicated and focused,” MacKinnon told Corey Masisak of the Denver Post recently. “He’s very mature. Seems like a great leader for that team. Just an awesome player, a guy you’d definitely want to build a team around, for sure.”
#Avs star Nathan MacKinnon spent some time with Macklin Celebrini at the world championships and during the offseason. He learned what Mackenzie Blackwood already knew.
The kid leading San Jose’s rise from the ashes is special.https://t.co/7LfawhapmY
— Corey Masisak (@cmasisak22) November 26, 2025
MacKinnon compared Celebrini to another superstar, non-Crosby category, and opined about Celebrini’s chances to make Canada’s 2026 Winter Olympics team.