NHL superstar Macklin Celebrini will be staying with the San Jose Sharks as he has inked a massive, long-term contract extension.
The Sharks announced on Wednesday that they have signed Celebrini to a five-year, $94 million contract extension, locking him up for the next six seasons, as they already had him under contract for next year.
With an $18.8 million annual average value (AAV), Celebrini is now the highest-paid NHL player on an annual basis, surpassing the $18 million AAV that Leo Carlsson recently signed with his new five-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks.
Still, Celebrini surely would have gotten over $20 million on the open market via an offer sheet next summer, so he likely took a bit of a discount to stay in San Jose even though he’s the highest-paid player in the NHL right now yearly.
Sharks Announce Macklin Celebrini Deal
The Sharks officially announced Celebrini’s new contract in a press release on Wednesday.
“In just two seasons as a teenager in the National Hockey League and on the International stage, Macklin has established himself as one of the premier players in the world. We are extremely excited to have him secured and committed as the centerpiece of a core of talented players in San Jose,” Sharks GM Mike Grier said in a statement.
“As we continue our goal of building a team capable of annually competing for the Stanley Cup, we want to thank Macklin and his representatives for a respectful negotiation process, and acknowledge the flexibility they have provided to the team in how we allocate future dollars towards the team being constructed around Macklin. I also want to thank Hasso Plattner for his continued commitment and steadfast dedication to providing the financial resources to put the best team possible on the ice for our passionate fans, who deserve a winner in San Jose.”
Celebrini also shared his reaction to his new contract extension with San Jose.
“I couldn’t be happier to sign an extension today. The faith and support that Mr. Plattner, Mike Grier and the entire staff have shown me throughout the past two seasons is proof that we are building something special here. My teammates and I are ready to take another step toward the ultimate goal of bringing a Stanley Cup to this city and its incredible fans. I can’t wait to get going,” Celebrini said in a statement.
Macklin Celebrini NHL Career So Far
Celebrini was drafted with the first-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. In his rookie season, Celebrini played in 70 games and scored 25 goals and 63 points.
Then, in his sophomore season this past year, Celebrini absolutely exploded into becoming an NHL superstar.
Playing in all 82 regular-season games, Celebrini scored 45 goals and 115 points. He was incredible and proved that he is already one of the best hockey players in the world despite being just 20 years old.
Now that Celebrini has been locked up long-term, the Sharks have their NHL superstar locked into a long-term deal, and they can start to put the complementary pieces around him to build a sustainable Stanley Cup title contender.
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