While Macklin Celebrini is the third player in San Jose Sharks history to take the ice with the number 71, he's been by far the most impactful player to wear the number despite only playing two seasons in the NHL up to this point. It feels like everything that can be said about Celebrini has already been said. He's one of the NHL's elite players at just 20 years of age. He's broken Joe Thornton's nearly two-decade old points record, he's had a 45 goal season and surpassed 110 points. He's even captained Team Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Championship. Almost anything that could be done by a 20 year old, he's done. While it may be a bit of a bold statement at this stage in his career, there's a legitimate chance that if things continue down this path, Celebrini could establish himself as the best player to ever wear a Sharks uniform. It'll take a lot of hardware, loyalty, and of course longevity if he's going to surpass players like Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, and Joe Pavelski, but the fact that he's already in the conversation is incredible in its own right. Most importantly, we've only seen Celebrini scratch the surface of what he'll do at the NHL level, as he still has another year on his entry-level contract. It's hard to say what the future truly holds for the Sharks' young star, but the sky is certainly the limit.
