Macklin Celebrini’s 2025-26 season was historic — and now the IIHF has made it official. At 19 years old, Celebrini has already done what most players never do. The San Jose Sharks center and Team Canada captain was named the IIHF Male Player of the Year this week.

His resume now includes an Olympic silver medal, a World Championship captaincy, and a record-setting NHL season.

Celebrini stood first in voting among 200 media members. Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck placed second, Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho was third, and Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid finished fourth. Hellebuyck led the league in wins, while McDavid carried Canada to Olympic gold — underscoring the strength of the field Celebrini beat.

At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, he became the youngest player to make Canada’s men’s roster and led the tournament with five goals. Celebrini then scored 10 points in six games as Canada won silver. He was also named to the tournament’s All-Star Team.

Just two months later, Celebrini wore the “C” for Canada at the men’s World Championship. He became the youngest captains in the team’s history at 19 years old.

The IIHF cited his World Championship performance and his leadership of Canada as a teenager as decisive factors.

Celebrini's NHL season only added to his resume. He set a record in the team with 115 points, scoring 45 goals and adding 70 assists in 82 games. His 115 points and 45 goals ranked fourth-highest league-wide respecitvely.

Macklin Celebrini was a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award as the NHL's most outstanding player, as voted by the players themselves. 

San Jose now selected him as the first overall in the 2024 draft, and he is already one of the sport's elite players at both the team and international level.

San Jose Fans Call Him The GOAT

When the news of the award was announced, it spread quickly on social media. Fans flooded the IIHF's post on X with appreciation for Celebrini's leadership.

One fan kept it simple and tagged his as the 'Greatest of all time' even at his such a young age. “G O A T,” the wrote.

Another fan echoed the same thought and wrot, “That’s my goat.” Celebrini has become a fan favorite after just two seasons in the NHL.

One fan praised his captaincy, writing, “Celebrini has proved he’s a dominant leader on the ice,” referencing his role at the Olympics and Worlds.

Others kept it simple. "G O A T," one fan wrote, another said, "that's my goat." Celebrini has become a fan favorite after just spending two seasons in the NHL.

Some talked about him wearing the "C" for Canada. "You fully deserve it, congratulations, captain 💙," one fan wrote. The fans really seemed to like San Jose's rebuild around him. 

“I say that’s my franchise center and I’m really proud.” The quote referenced Celebrini’s stand as the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft and how important his role is going forward.

The reaction clearly underscores how far Celebrini has grown since entering the league: from rookie to national team captain, and now IIHF’s top player.

Where do you think Macklin Celebrini ranks among the greatest of the game? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Koushik Biswas