How old is Macklin Celebrini? Where Canadian teenager ranks among youngest Olympians ever

Team Canada's hockey squad is full of the NHL's best. From Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid — who both scored overtime goals to clinch gold in best-on-best tournaments — to Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, superstars are not at a shortage for the Team Up North.

But, one player who belongs in the superstar conversation is Macklin Celebrini, who in his second year in the NHL has emerged as one of the best players in the sport. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft has torn it up for San Jose, ranking near the top of the NHL leaderboards in scoring. He joins a Canada squad that has become the standard for hockey, winning the gold medal nine times.

Celebrini will make history when he steps on the ice for the first time for Canada, becoming the first ever teenager to be selected for their team when it includes NHL players. So, with that, how old is Celebrini?

The Sporting News brings you everything you need to know about the Canadian superstar who is taking the hockey world by storm.

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How old is Macklin Celebrini?

Entering the games, Celebrini is 19 years old. He was born on June 13, 2006.

Celebrini has soared at every level en route to the NHL, becoming the youngest player ever to win the NCAA's Hobey Baker Award, taking it home in his freshman season. He was then picked by San Jose first overall in the entry draft before putting up 63 points in his rookie season.

In the 2025-26 campaign, Celebrini is fourth in the NHL with 81 points and tied for third — with his teammate MacKinnon — with 53 assists. 

The star has played for Canada multiple times on the international stage, representing them in both the 2024 World Juniors and 2025 IIHF World Championships. Now, he becomes the youngest player to ever lace up for the men's hockey team on the Olympic stage.

MORE: Olympic men's hockey predictions

Macklin Celebrini vs. Sidney Crosby age

Celebrini and Crosby are frequently compared due to their shared status as No. 1 overall picks and their remarkably similar playing styles.

At 19 years old, Celebrini is nearly 20 years younger than Crosby, who is currently 38. 

The age gap between the two is so significant that Celebrini’s life milestones often align with major moments in Crosby’s career.

Like most Canadian youngsters, Celebrini grew up idolizing Crosby, saying he had his jersey while rising up the ranks. Before their first NHL meeting, Celebrini said "he’s been the face of the League for so long that it doesn’t even feel real... he's someone I've looked up to for a long time."

The two played together in May when Crosby joined Canada's World Championship team, and the captain requested to be on a line with the youngster.

When they arrived at #MensWorlds, Celebrini called Sid “Mr. Crosby,” and Sid wanted no part of it 😂 pic.twitter.com/hZS4BJJldr

Now, the faces of two generations take the world's biggest stage together.

MORE: Complete Olympic hockey rosters for 2026

Youngest Canadian hockey Olympians ever

While Celebrini is the youngest Canadian to play in the NHL era, he isn't the youngest in all of Canadian history. Reginald "Hooley" Smith remains the holder of that feat, playing and winning gold in 1994 at only 19 years and 27 days old.

*Youngest ever in NHL era

Before Celebrini, Anaheim Ducks youngster Mason McTavish held the modern record, debuting at 19 years and 10 days. However, the 2022 Games did not feature NHL players due to COVID-19 restrictions, making Celebrini’s feat more notable as he beat out active NHL superstars for his roster spot.

MORE: Ranking Olympic hockey teams 1-12 based on chances to win gold

Youngest hockey Olympians ever

While Celebrini is near the top of the list, he is not the youngest hockey Olympian ever. That feat is held by Latvia's Alberts Smits, who is the youngest player in the 2026 tournament. Behind him is Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, who remains the youngest participant in the NHL era when he played for Finland in 2014.

MORE: Complete Olympic men's hockey schedule