Macklin Celebrini is living his childhood dream in Stockholm, Sweden—playing for Team Canada alongside his idol, Sidney Crosby. A wholesome moment from the latest World Championship game has now gone viral because of what Celebrini did to help Crosby.
Celebrini has been lighting up the NHL and is a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy after a stellar rookie season with the San Jose Sharks. The first overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Celebrini scored 25 goals and tallied 63 points in 70 games. Fans are already excited to see what the future holds for him and the young Sharks roster as they continue to develop.
One thing’s for sure: Celebrini is getting the best advice imaginable right now—and the experience of a lifetime. He made his senior Team Canada debut at the 2025 IIHF World Championship in Stockholm last week. After four games, he’s registered one goal and one assist.
It’s been a special moment for Celebrini, who grew up idolizing Sidney Crosby and now gets to practice and play with him—sometimes even on the same line. Crosby has been seen giving tips and having long conversations with Celebrini during practices. The two have worked on face-offs and other details, which must be surreal for the young Sharks forward.
Wholesome gesture to Sidney Crosby
Team Canada has looked dominant so far, winning all four of their games. On Thursday, they beat Austria 5–1. Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and added an assist, but the most viral moment of the night came courtesy of Macklin Celebrini.
After the Austrian goalie froze the puck, Crosby was shoved by an opponent and nearly lost his balance. But out of nowhere, Celebrini skated in—almost like he appeared out of thin air—to catch Crosby and stop him from falling. The wholesome moment quickly made the rounds on social media, with fans absolutely loving it.
“I’ve seen enough—he’s a Canadian Olympian for saving our Nova Scotian god,” one fan wrote.
“I love Macklin. He seems like such a good kid,” another said.
“Macklin Celebrini might legitimately be my favorite hockey player,” a third added.
READ MORE: Video of Sidney Crosby at the Worlds has hockey fans laughing
