Macklin Celebrini enters Wayne Gretzky territory after blistering start to NHL career

Macklin Celebrini is off to a great start in the 2025-26 NHL season. The 19-year-old San Jose Sharks center, drafted first overall in 2024, has 23 points (9 goals, 14 assists) in 15 games. With that total, he ties Wayne Gretzky and Steve Yzerman for the most points by a teenager in the first 15 games of a season.

Celebrini scored once and added an assist in Friday’s 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets at SAP Center. He set up Will Smith’s winning goal in the third period. His two points gave him the league scoring lead, one ahead of Connor Bedard, who has 22.

The Sharks have a 6-6-3 record and are sixth in the Pacific Division. They average 3.33 goals per game, with Macklin Celebrini's help. Additionally, they have won five of their last seven games.

Coach Ryan Warsofsky praised Celebrini’s effort after the Jets game.

"Yeah, I think so," Warsofsky said about witnessing something special in Celebrini's play. [5:55 onwards] "We see it on a daily basis. We’ll see it on a daily basis. You know what I like — he just drags guys into the front. That’s how you can start leading cultures, and he’s done a great job of that. "And, you know, proud of him. He is one of the greatest kids, human beings. He cares. He’s a great person. Um, so we’re very fortunate."

Macklin Celebrini's strong start has drawn comparisons to Gretzky and Yzerman. Gretzky still holds the all-time NHL records for goals (894) and points (2,857). Yzerman ranks among the top ten with 692 goals and 1,755 points. Similarly, Celebrini’s early production shows elite skill that could one day place his name on that list.

Born in 2006, Celebrini could become the face of the Sharks’ rebuild, following a path of leadership like Gretzky and Yzerman. His chemistry with Smith has become essential for the San Jose team and its future.

Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini's moment in Jets game

The San Jose Sharks defeated the Winnipeg Jets after overturning the Jets' first-period lead. Josh Morrissey scored first for the Jets with a slap shot. Macklin Celebrini tied the game 1-1 soon after on a breakaway with a backhand shot.

In the third period, Will Smith scored the winning goal after Celebrini’s shot slipped behind the goalie. This led to confusion from Smith's perspective.

"I saw [Celebrini] out of the corner of my eye," Smith said. "I honestly thought he scored, and then I just saw the puck laying there."

Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic made 31 saves for the Sharks.

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Edited by Ankit Kumar