Sharks Locker Room: There’s Another Level for Celebrini, San Jose To Reach

Apr 08, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; during San Jose Sharks vs Edmonton Oilers at SAP Center. Photo: Sport Shots / Dean Tait We already knew that Connor McDavid was the best player in the NHL. Think back to the 2008 Olympics, and how USA’s men’s basketball “Redeem Team”, which featured all-time greats Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony in their primes, deferred to Bryant in the fourth quarter.

In the same way, think back to the most recent Winter Olympics, and how Canada revolved around No. 1 center McDavid. 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini, one of the best players in the world, was charged with doing the top line’s dirty work and getting open for McDavid passes.

Nathan MacKinnon, also one of the best players in the world, started the Olympics as Canada’s 3C. MacKinnon would end up, along with Celebrini, flanking McDavid to form a super line. It’s always interesting, on a team of alpha dogs, to learn who they think the clear alpha is.

But if you weren’t sure if McDavid was the best hockey player in the world, the Edmonton Oilers superstar dropped a hat trick and five points on the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday, en route to an easy 5-2 Oilers’ victory. “He’s the best player in the league,” a frustrated Celebrini said post-game. Tonight was a reminder that Celebrini and his many young San Jose Sharks teammates have another level to get to, before they’re discussed in quite the same breath as McDavid and the back-to-back defending Western Conference champions.