Life's pretty good right now if you're a Team Canada fan. Or an Oilers fan. Or even a Sharks fan, believe it or not.
Hey, life's good if you're just a Connor-Macklin fan, because McDavid and Celebrini have turned out to be quite the dynamic duo at these Olympics. And the best part? This might just be the beginning.
Think about it: Connor McDavid might have just found his international winger for the next 10 years. That's not hyperbole. That's not getting ahead of ourselves. That's just looking at the ages, doing the math, and realizing we could be watching the start of something special that extends way beyond this tournament.
McDavid's 28. Celebrini just turned 19. The age gap works perfectly for what could be a decade-long partnership every time best-on-best hockey rolls around. And considering how they've looked together so far —Celebrini scoring the opening goal against Czechia off a McDavid feed, the two of them developing chemistry that looks way more established than it should be — this pairing makes too much sense not to run it back every chance they get.
Who knows what they'll be like at the next Olympics. If they can even go to the Olympics, given the NHL's ongoing uncertainty about releasing players. But let's say they do make it to 2030. McDavid will be 33, on the tail end of his prime but still one of the best players in the world. Celebrini won't be a teenager anymore — he'll be 23, presumably hitting his own prime, and that version of him could legitimately be better than that 33-year-old version of McDavid.
That's not a knock on McDavid. That's just how careers work. Players peak at different times, and if Celebrini continues developing the way he has been, we could be looking at a genuine superstar in his own right. Paired with a still-dominant McDavid? That's a nightmare matchup for any country.
And here's the thing: it's not even just the Olympics. There's the 4 Nations Face-Off coming up again — if they do it again. There are World Championships. There's any other international best-on-best tournament that the NHL actually permits players to compete in. Every time one of those events rolls around, there's a good chance we're seeing McDavid and Celebrini on the same line, building on what they've already established.
Shouldn't we all feel lucky about that?
International hockey doesn't come around often enough. We've seen what happens when the NHL decides players can't participate — we miss out on years of potential greatness, potential matchups, potential moments that we'll never get back. So when we do get these tournaments, when we do get to see the best players in the world representing their countries, it matters. And getting to watch a partnership like McDavid-Celebrini develop over the next decade? That's the kind of thing that makes these tournaments worth fighting for.
For Oilers fans, this has to feel pretty great too. McDavid's already got Draisaitl in Edmonton, but knowing he's got Celebrini waiting for him every time Team Canada assembles adds another layer to his legacy. He's not just dominating in the NHL — he's building international chemistry with the next generation of Canadian stars.
And for Sharks fans? Well, you're watching your franchise's future announce himself on the biggest stage in hockey. Celebrini's not just holding his own alongside McDavid — he's thriving. He's producing. He's showing he belongs on that top line, and he's doing it as a 19-year-old. That's the kind of performance that sets the tone for an entire career.
The beauty of this pairing is that it works on multiple levels. McDavid gets a talented young winger who can keep up with his pace and finish the chances he creates. Celebrini gets to learn from one of the greatest players of all time while contributing in meaningful ways. Team Canada gets a dynamic duo that could anchor their top line for years to come.
We've seen international partnerships define eras before. Crosby and Kunitz. Crosby and Bergeron. Different combinations that worked for different reasons at different times. McDavid and Celebrini could be the next version of that — a pairing that becomes automatic every time Canada puts together a roster.
And honestly, we should appreciate it while we can. International hockey is fragile. The opportunities to see these tournaments are never guaranteed. The NHL could pull the plug on Olympic participation again. Labor disputes could mess with future tournaments. Nothing's certain.
But for now, we've got McDavid and Celebrini playing together, building chemistry, creating highlight-reel moments, and potentially laying the groundwork for a decade-long international partnership.
Yeah, life's pretty good right now.
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