{"id":397069,"date":"2026-01-09T10:53:12","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T10:53:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/397069\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T10:53:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T10:53:12","slug":"macklin-celebrinis-impressive-night-underscores-why-he-deserves-hart-trophy-consideration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/397069\/","title":{"rendered":"Macklin Celebrini\u2019s impressive night underscores why he deserves Hart Trophy consideration"},"content":{"rendered":"

LOS ANGELES \u2014 Nathan MacKinnon could very well win his second Hart Trophy and it would be hard to argue against him. With apologies to the late legendary rapper, \u201cNate Dogg\u201d is out to win his first Rocket Richard, in a battle to claim his first NHL scoring title and has willed the Colorado Avalanche to a ridiculous 31-4-7 record.<\/p>\n

Connor McDavid could capture his fourth Hart and it would be hard to argue against him either. \u201cMcJesus\u201d vaulted back into contention with one of his patented scoring binges and it would be no shock if he wins his sixth Art Ross Trophy as he battles MacKinnon for the points lead. He\u2019s pulling along the otherwise vulnerable Edmonton Oilers.<\/p>\n

But if you go by the book, that the Hart should be awarded \u201cto the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team,\u201d there is no better case right now than Macklin Celebrini.<\/p>\n

The San Jose Sharks left Crypto.com Arena in the first wild-card position in the Western Conference after a 4-3 overtime victory Wednesday night over the Los Angeles Kings, a comeback powered by Celebrini as his team flew into Southern California to play a night after defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets at home.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Three-point performance
\u2013 12-game point streak
\u2013 67 points in 43 games<\/p>\n

Macklin Celebrini is as elite as they come \u2b50\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/hqPLBWwaKI<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NHL (@NHL) January 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The Sharks hold a playoff spot and have visions of keeping it as they tackle a meaningful stretch run virtually no one anticipated. This was supposed to happen maybe a year from now, more likely two. But a 19-year-old who has gone from phenom to superstar to standing with McDavid or MacKinnon in the \u201cbest player in the world\u201d line in short order is redefining what\u2019s possible for a team that was bottom-feeding (or well-schemed tanking?) and dreaming of a way to get him to San Jose.<\/p>\n

This May, it will be two years since the Sharks won the NHL draft lottery. Macklin Mania is spreading. And after a three-point night where he scored the tying goal late in regulation and set up the winner in overtime, Celebrini is smack dab in the middle of his first playoff race. Every night matters, and he\u2019s basking in it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s great,\u201d Celebrini said. \u201cIt\u2019s great. This is what we want. This is the position we want to be in. Especially with where things were, I think we\u2019re doing a great job kind of handling all of it. I think we have the group to do it. Obviously, there\u2019s a whole season, half season left. There\u2019s a lot of work to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you have a feeling in our group. We\u2019re confident in those situations that when we\u2019re down 3-2 or tied 2-2, going in late against a really, really good team and playoff team. It\u2019s a different kind of swagger and feeling in our group.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Kings grabbed a 3-2 lead on Alex Laferriere\u2019s tipped goal with 2:10 left in regulation. And as the clock wound down, the situation obviously called for San Jose to pull goalie Yaroslav Askarov for a sixth attacker to try and generate a tying goal.<\/p>\n

All the Sharks needed was Celebrini. He intercepted a clearing attempt by Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson and with one scintillating move to his right that spun around Warren Foegele and then another to his left, got inside of the Los Angeles forward and snapped a shot through Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper with 1:06 left.<\/p>\n

WHO ELSE BUT MACKLIN CELEBRINI? \ud83e\udd2f <\/p>\n

Unbelievable. pic.twitter.com\/3b4Mz4UCkM<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NHL (@NHL) January 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI was just so focused on getting open for him and he just danced that guy,\u201d Sharks winger William Eklund said. \u201cEnough can\u2019t be said about this guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Center Adam Gaudette added, \u201cAnytime he gets the puck, you\u2019re like, something\u2019s going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what it has become with Celebrini. The crowd, mostly in Kings colors but dotted with teal-clad supporters, knows what it is seeing. In the first period, Celebrini got the puck with some speed into open space. Accompanying that rush up ice was a surging undercurrent of noise. It\u2019s like McDavid and MacKinnon when they take off. What is he going to do?<\/p>\n

He scored an empty-net goal to finish the Blue Jackets off and extend his point streak Tuesday, and got that task out of the way in the second period Wednesday when he assisted on Tyler Toffoli\u2019s easy power-play finish. Celebrini now has points in 12 straight games. His competitiveness is universally respected; his skill is undeniable. But it is his way of meeting the big moment that is setting him apart from the league\u2019s other top players. He doesn\u2019t shirk away from it. He devours the moment as if it were a simple chuck steak or the finest wagyu.<\/p>\n

The Kings on Wednesday became Celebrini\u2019s latest meal. A regulation loss turned into a point gained because of his heroics. And then for overtime dessert, he jumped on Adrian Kempe\u2019s failed connection with Laferriere and steamed ahead with Eklund for a two-on-one fast break. The pass from Celebrini was on a platter for Eklund, who then hammered the puck past Kuemper.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt worked out perfectly,\u201d Celebrini said, almost sheepishly.<\/p>\n

Going back to the tying goal, I asked him if he feels a sense of calm when he\u2019s in a critical situation. Celebrini, who\u2019ll become their captain as soon as next season, shifted into team mode even as he put the Sharks on his shoulders in that 6-on-5 moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a great group,\u201d he said. \u201cI trust all the guys. We work on it sometimes, but it\u2019s all a feel thing. We had plenty of chances throughout the game to kind of get one of those, but obviously, it never worked out. I think there\u2019s a lot more confidence in our group when we got the extra attacker.\u201d<\/p>\n

With Tuesday\u2019s win over Columbus, their 21st on the season, the Sharks surpassed last season\u2019s victory total. Now they\u2019re building on that. Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky called the victory Wednesday \u201cpretty close\u201d to their biggest to date, considering they got it over their southern rival, a fellow playoff contender that was rested and coming off impressive back-to-back wins over Minnesota.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe just keeps impressing us and impressing us and getting better and better,\u201d Warsofsky said of Celebrini. \u201cHe took over that game there and makes a hell of a play on the 6-on-5. He\u2019s definitely turning into a superstar right before our eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

No, coach, he\u2019s not turning into one. He is one. The five-point night at Madison Square Garden that included setting up Will Smith for the overtime winner. Beating the Wild two games later with his own OT score. Scoring all three of San Jose\u2019s goals to beat Utah.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo moment is too big for him,\u201d Warsofsky said. \u201cAnd I know it\u2019s early in his career, but the competitiveness that this kid has, you would drop him in Vancouver in a rink with no roof against the Anaheim Ducks and he\u2019d be ready to play. That\u2019s what type of competitor he is. That\u2019s what makes him special.\u201d<\/p>\n

With his 11th three-point game this season, Celebrini is up to 24 goals and 67 points. He\u2019s third in the scoring race but may not catch either McDavid or MacKinnon, given how prolific both can be. But that helps his argument for the Hart. McDavid has Leon Draisaitl, arguably a top-five player in his own right, as a high-powered teammate. MacKinnon has the world\u2019s best defenseman in Cale Makar on a deep Avalanche squad. Perhaps it\u2019s unfair for those two to be penalized for their surrounding cast, but Celebrini doesn\u2019t have a fellow superstar to play off.<\/p>\n

Celebrini has factored in 50 percent of San Jose\u2019s goals. Fifty! No teenager in NHL history has done that. He has twice as many points as the Sharks\u2019 next highest player (Alexander Wennberg has 30). He hasn\u2019t had Smith, who has the third most points on the team, since Dec. 13, when the talented Sharks scorer took an injurious hit from Parker Wotherspoon.<\/p>\n

Warsofsky says Celebrini drags his team into the fight, but he\u2019s doing much more than that. This 19-year-old is carrying a team that wasn\u2019t supposed to sniff the playoffs. That\u2019s an MVP at work.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s special, man,\u201d Gaudette said. \u201cHe\u2019s right up there with Sidney Crosby. I think he\u2019s, if not the best, one of the best players in the world right now. He\u2019s so young, he\u2019s got so much room to grow, that it\u2019s going to be real scary once he gets a little older and he fills out a little more.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he\u2019s just unbelievable. It\u2019s so much fun to watch. What I like about it the most is he\u2019s such a humble kid. He is such a fun kid to be around and always a smile on his face. He\u2019s always in a good mood. It\u2019s really fun to watch and I\u2019m just happy to be a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

As is the rest of the hockey world.<\/p>\n