Macklin Celebrini is living out a childhood Olympic dream

One was a legend in his prime, making history on ice with the iconic Golden Goal; the other was just a toddler, holding a tiny sherwood stick, laced up in tiny skates, and in a red and white jersey with a maple leaf that didn't yet fit.

But time has a way of closing even the widest gaps. As Team Canada takes the ice for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics next week, the toddler and the legend are no longer separated by the glass—they are sharing the same sweater, representing Canada.

Even before the 2024 NHL Draft, Macklin Celebrini was already a star on ice. During Celebrini's freshman year at Boston University, he didn't just play—he dominated. Celebrini scored 32 goals and carried 64 points in just 38 games. He also made history as the youngest person who won the Hobey Baker Award. At just 17, he wasn't just competing with the best in college hockey; he was surpassing all of them.

To no surprise, he was drafted first overall in the 2024 NHL entry draft by the San Jose Sharks. Celebrini didn’t waste a second proving they were right in choosing him as the first overall. In his NHL debut, his stick led the puck into the back of the net, scoring his first goal and assist into the ice during a 5-4 overtime loss against the St. Louis Blues. Celebrini finished his first season by being named a Calder Memorial Trophy finalist

The record books are usually reserved for well-known legends whose careers are long finished, but Celebrini is rewriting them in real-time. At the start of the 2025-26 season, he temporarily led the NHL by standing on top as the leading scorer by carrying 23 points through the first 15 games of the season.

And by December of 2025, Macklin Celebrini was included in the players who had 'Most Points Before Christmas by teenagers of all-time' with 55 points, standing with Sidney Crosby (55) at the top, and ahead of Wayne Gretzky (51).

The confirmation finally came on the last morning of 2025. While the rest of the world was preparing to welcome in a new year, Macklin Celebrini was answering a call from Team Canada GM Doug Armstrong that would change his life.

The news was official: the 19-year-old had earned his place on the 25-man roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. After hanging up, the first thing Celebrini did was call his parents—sharing a moment that bridged the gap between the toddler in the Vancouver stands watching the Golden Goal, and the youngest Canadian Olympian of the NHL era.

"Representing Canada at any level, that's just a huge honor. You can tell just by how I am answering these questions that it's all surreal, and I'm just really excited."

Macklin Celebrini

But for Celebrini, Crosby is no longer just a poster on a bedroom wall, or his role model when it comes to the sport. He's now a teammate of his. The two stars first skated on ice in May 2025 at the IIHF World Championship. In a moment that quickly went viral, a nervous Celebrini initially addressed his childhood idol as 'Mr. Crosby'—only to be quickly corrected by the captain: 'It’s just Sid.'

Entering the Olympic break, Celebrini carries with 28 goals and 53 assists, racking up a staggering 81 points in just 55 games. Currently sitting at 4th in the NHL for points, he finds himself in the rare air of the Hart Trophy conversation, trailing behind hockey superstars like Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon.

For a kid who once watched Sidney Crosby’s legendary 'Golden Goal', wearing the same maple leaf as the man himself is nothing short of a dream come true. The jersey that didn't fit in 2010 was now ready, and the name on the back is finally his own.

With the recent Canada vs Czechia game, Macklin Celebrini immediately proved himself worthy of wearing the Maple Leaf, as he was the first name on the board for Canada. As of Feb. 17, Celebrini has now scored 4 goals in his first-ever Winter Olympics games, leading the boards for goals with Tim Stützle of Germany.

With the quarterfinals spot clinched for Team Canada, all eyes are on them, now more than ever, as expectations for the team to clinch the semifinal spot gets even higher.