Was Macklin Celebrini Trying To Earn A Little Olympic Goodwill With McDavid?

Macklin Celebrini gave the hockey world a moment on Thursday night that almost never happens in the NHL — and it raised an interesting question. Taking the high road on a weird high-sticking penalty call, he tried to get the official to reverse the penalty. That's something that almost never happens. 

Was he just being honest… or was he also being smart?

With the San Jose Sharks up 3-0 on the Edmonton Oilers, Celebrini drove hard to the net looking for a pass. Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm tried to lift his stick and accidentally made contact around the shoulder area, clearly missing Celebrini’s face.

Celebrini snapped his head back — a natural flinch reaction — and the referee immediately raised his arm for a high-sticking penalty.

But then something happened that caught everyone off guard... well, kind of.

Celebrini waved his hand at the officials, essentially signaling: Nope, didn’t hit me.

In a league where players will sell contact for every possible advantage, it was almost shocking to see a 19-year-old phenom try to decline a call.

While fans in the arena booed the call, and some Celebrini, social media lit up calling him an “ethical superstar” and praising his maturity. 

Many respected the move — especially since young stars can quickly earn reputations as divers or embellishers.

Celebrini is about to be teammates with Connor McDavid at the Olympics. It was clear the Oilers' captain already thought highly of the young Sharks star. Thursday night might have offered another look at how unique the forward is. 

It can't hurt that a budding face of the NHL with elite skill is now also seen as a good kid. Perhaps it was a stretch to argue that Celebrini was thinking big picture, but it certainly won't hurt. There's a good chance McDavid and Celebrini are linemates at the Winter Olympics in a few weeks. A young superstar showing he “plays the right way” against the Oilers, in their building, with the hockey world watching… that’s the kind of thing players remember. 

It shows a level of integrity, maturity, and honesty that is hard to come by. It's also a teenager quietly building goodwill before stepping onto an Olympic roster full of superstars.

Of course, Sharks teammates and head coach Ryan Warsofsky might not have wanted Celebrini to risk negating a power play, but head coach Kris Knoblauch said the call wasn't reviewable. Celebrini could have pleaded all he wanted... San Jose was getting the power play. 

Still, one thing is clear: Macklin Celebrini is already thinking like a young player with a much bigger picture in mind, even though he's a short-term player building his legacy. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.