'Something I Dreamed Of As A Kid': Macklin Celebrini Waiting For His Chance To Represent Canada

San Jose Sharks star rookie Macklin Celebrini won't play for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, but he could be on the roster for the 2026 Olympics.

San Jose Sharks star rookie Macklin Celebrini won't play for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, but he could be on the roster for the 2026 Olympics.

There were some whispers that the 18-year-old could be an injury replacement option should any forwards have missed the tournament.

When asked if he'll watch the tournament, the Sharks rookie said there wasn't a question. 

"It's first best-on-best in a while, and I think it's gonna be really cool to see that tournament play out," Celebrini explained.

Celebrini has represented his home country of Canada at the junior level. He played for Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Juniors and the 2023 U18 World Championship.

With NHL players returning to the Olympics for the first time since 2014, Celebrini and another young superstar, Connor Bedard, will be pushing to make the Canadian National Team. 

"It's always an honor to play for your country. Playing for your country in the Olympics is something that I dreamed of as a kid," Celebrini told THN. "To do that would be really cool."

Celebrini is a Vancouver native who was three years old when Sidney Crosby scored the golden goal that lifted Canada to a gold medal over Team USA in the 2010 Olympics. Despite his young age, the San Jose Sharks rookie remembers the moment well.

"I think the 2010 Olympics when [Canada] won that in Vancouver. That's where I was from. I was young, but that was a very vivid memory for me," Celebrini said. 

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBMriA6maIU[/embed]

It has been well documented that Celebrini's hockey idol is Sidney Crosby. Crosby will play for Team Canada for the first time since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and is the captain of the team.

Celebrini told THN it is special to see Crosby return to the national team and share the moment with Hockey Canada.

Canada will play Sweden in the opening game of the Tournament tonight at 5 p.m. PT.

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