Macklin Celebrini isn’t just one of the most talented young players in the NHL today — he’s also an unusually honest competitor. Fans are now praising Celebrini for how he handled a play last night against the Edmonton Oilers.
Celebrini has truly exploded this season. The 19-year-old is currently fourth in NHL scoring, with 79 points in 52 games. On Thursday, he added an assist against the Oilers, but it wasn’t enough. Despite holding a 3–0 lead after the first period, the Sharks surrendered their advantage and ultimately lost in overtime on a Zach Hyman goal.
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”Best offensive team”
“I think our 6-on-5 was not good enough, and that’s something we’ll look at. There were moments in the third where we needed to continue to make plays and push forward, and we didn’t do enough of that. They’re the best offensive team in the world and you have to defend the two best players in the world. We did some good things; we did some things we could get better at,” San Jose Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky told NHL.com afterward.
Last night’s loss leaves the Sharks just outside a playoff spot. But despite the defeat, Celebrini is earning praise from both Sharks and Oilers fans for something he did in the second period. During a battle with Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm, Celebrini appeared to take Ekholm’s stick to the face, prompting the referee to call a penalty. Celebrini, however, immediately tried to explain to the referee that he hadn’t actually been hit, hoping to overturn the call, without any luck.
Macklin Celebrini praised by fans
Fans are applauding the young forward for the gesture.
“As a lifelong Canucks fan, I’m pretty sure he’s my favorite player in the league,” one fan wrote on X.
“I think it’s safe to say we can expect great and extraordinary things from this dude,” another added.
“Pure class. He’s so exciting to watch and great off the ice. Truly a great new face of hockey,” wrote a third.
You can watch the wholesome incident below.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Macklin Celebrini
