[REVISION HISTORY]

Celebrini's record $94M extension and NHL cover

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-07-30 11:29 UTC → 2026-08-03 02:44 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In early July 2026 the IIHF named 20‑year‑old San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini Male Player of the Year after a 115‑point season, a five‑goal showing at the Milan‑Cortina Olympics and a strong World Championship performance. EA Sports then placed him on the cover of NHL 27, highlighting his historic point total and his status as the youngest player ever featured. Celebrini entered the final year of his three‑year, $2.925 million entry‑level contract (a $975,000 cap hit) and said he was willing to leave money on the table to preserve salary‑cap flexibility for the Sharks and help the team secure a playoff run. On 28 July 2026 the Sharks announced a five‑year, $94 million extension for Celebrini, an average annual value of $18.8 million that makes him the league’s highest‑paid player. The deal, effective from the 2027‑28 season, keeps him in San Jose through ~~2031‑32.~~ 2031‑32 and allows him to test unrestricted free agency in 2032. General manager Mike Grier called him a premier talent and said the contract is a cornerstone for building a Stanley‑Cup‑contending core. Owner Hasso Plattner praised Celebrini’s willingness to sacrifice immediate earnings to give the club cap flexibility, underscoring the extension’s role in the Sharks’ long‑term strategy, even as the team missed the playoffs for a seventh straight year after a 34‑point improvement. The extension surpasses the previous NHL record AAV set by Leo Carlsson and was announced alongside other Sharks moves, including the signing of winger Collin Grafton. The contract solidifies Celebrini’s status as the league’s top scorer and a central figure in San Jose’s rebuilding plans.

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