At just 19 years old, Macklin Celebrini is getting a huge opportunity in his career. Hockey Canada announced on May 10, 2026, that Celebrini will captain Canada at the upcoming 2026 IIHF World Championship.

The decision shows that Hockey Canada trusts Macklin Celebrini’s leadership even at a young age. The talented forward has impressed people with his maturity, hard work, and calm attitude under pressure, and he has quickly become one of Canada’s brightest hockey stars.

Macklin Celebrini recently made headlines in San Jose with an outstanding second season. He scored 115 points and broke a franchise record that had belonged to Joe Thornton for almost 20 years. Celebrini also scored 45 goals, the second-highest total in the franchise’s history.

The number shows that he is very much capable of turning things around. His selection as captain also reflects how rapidly he has earned respect from teammates and coaches at every level.

Earlier, his San Jose teammate, Ryan Reaves, praised Celebrini’s leadership skills during the exit interview last month. He compared Celebrini’s leadership skills to the legend Sidney Crosby. 

“I don't know what else he could possibly do,” Reaves said. “His leadership on the ice, I've seen it before. I saw it in a guy named Sidney Crosby.”

Earlier, when Celebrini was asked about captaincy duties for the San Jose Sharks, he showed interest in taking that role.

“That would mean a lot to me. Especially if it's coming from my teammates, if they're looking at me like that and they believe in me, that means a lot”, he said earlier. 

Celebrini helped Canada win a silver medal at the Milan Olympics. He scored five goals in six games and became the youngest player to appear at the tournament. Now the captaincy is a new chapter in his career. 

Apart from Celebrini, Here Are Two Other Alternative Captains Who'll Lead The Team

Macklin Celebrini will not lead Team Canada alone. Ryan O'Reilly and John Tavares will serve as alternate captains, and Hockey Canada announced this at the same time.

John Tavares has played for Canada several times at the World Championship and captained the team in 2024. Meanwhile, Ryan O'Reilly brings strong international experience, including two gold medals and one silver medal with Canada.

Canada lost to Denmark in the quarterfinals at the last World Championship. This time, the team has added more experienced players like John Tavares, Morgan Rielly, Cam Talbot, Mark Scheifele, Ryan O'Reilly, Dylan DeMelo, Connor Brown, and Darnell Nurse.

The team has a blend of experienced players and youngsters. And Macklin Celebrini will have a chance to lead this team. The tournament will start on May 15 and run until May 31 in Switzerland.

All eyes will now be on the young captain as he prepares to lead one of hockey’s most prestigious national teams on the international stage.

What are your thoughts on this young captain leading the team?

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Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi