Macklin Celebrini, Sharks superstar, becomes NHL’s highest-paid player — all you need to know about his record $94 million deal

Macklin Celebrini has added another milestone to his rapid rise through the NHL, signing a five-year, $94 million contract extension with the San Jose Sharks that makes the 20-year-old superstar the league’s highest-paid player by average annual value.

The Sharks announced the blockbuster extension Wednesday, securing the centerpiece of their rebuild through the 2031-32 NHL season.

Celebrini still had one season remaining on the three-year, $2.925 million entry-level contract he signed after San Jose selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Rather than wait, general manager Mike Grier and owner Hasso Plattner moved early to lock down the young forward following a historic season.


The new contract carries an average annual value of $18.8 million, setting an NHL record. It surpasses the $18 million annual figure attached to Leo Carlsson’s five-year deal after Anaheim matched an offer sheet from Philadelphia.

Macklin Celebrini commits his future to San Jose

For Celebrini, the record-setting contract represents more than a financial commitment. He said the Sharks’ faith in him over his first two NHL seasons convinced him that San Jose is building toward something significant.

“I couldn’t be happier to sign an extension today,” Celebrini said in a statement.

He credited Plattner, Grier and the Sharks staff for supporting him since his arrival and said the team’s focus remains on ultimately bringing the Stanley Cup to San Jose.

“My teammates and I are ready to take another step toward the ultimate goal of bringing a Stanley Cup to this city and its incredible fans,” Celebrini said. “I can’t wait to get going.”

The deal gives San Jose long-term certainty around a player who has quickly become the face of the franchise.

Celebrini’s historic season rewrites Sharks record book

Celebrini, who turned 20 in June, has needed remarkably little time to establish himself among hockey’s elite.

His latest season produced 45 goals and 70 assists for 115 points, breaking one of the most prominent records in Sharks history.

Joe Thornton previously held San Jose’s single-season points record after recording 114 in 2006-07. Celebrini surpassed that mark while still a teenager.

His 115-point campaign also placed him in rare company across NHL history.

Only Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby have recorded more points in a season before turning 20. Gretzky amassed 137 points in 1979-80, while Crosby finished with 120 during the 2006-07 season.

That puts Celebrini’s performance alongside two of the biggest names the sport has produced and helps explain why the Sharks were prepared to make such a significant financial commitment after only two NHL seasons.

Canada star also delivered on the Olympic stage

Celebrini’s breakthrough was not limited to his NHL performances.

He also emerged as a major offensive threat for Canada at the Olympics, scoring five goals to finish as the tournament’s leading goal scorer.

Canada ultimately took home the silver medal, but Celebrini’s performance provided further evidence that his scoring ability could translate beyond the NHL and onto the international stage.

For Grier, those achievements have already demonstrated that the former No. 1 pick belongs among the world’s best players.

“In just two seasons as a teenager in the National Hockey League and on the international stage, Macklin has established himself as one of the premier players in the world,” the Sharks general manager said.

Grier added that San Jose was delighted to have Celebrini committed as the centerpiece of a young and talented core.

How much is Macklin Celebrini’s new contract worth?

Celebrini’s five-year extension is worth $94 million in total, producing an average annual value of $18.8 million.

That annual figure moves him to the top of the NHL salary rankings and illustrates how highly San Jose values his combination of age, production and long-term potential.

The timing is particularly striking. Celebrini is only two seasons into his NHL career and has only recently turned 20.

His entry-level contract still has another year to run, meaning the new extension will take effect after that deal expires and keep him under contract with the Sharks through 2031-32.

By reaching an agreement now, San Jose avoids allowing uncertainty over Celebrini’s future to hang over the franchise as it attempts to return to the postseason.

Sharks make progress but playoff drought continues

Celebrini’s individual brilliance has yet to translate into a playoff appearance for San Jose.

The Sharks missed the postseason for a seventh consecutive year, although there were significant signs of progress.

San Jose improved by 34 points compared with the previous season, the 10th-largest single-season improvement in the NHL over the past 30 years.

That surge put the Sharks much closer to contention, but they ultimately finished four points short of a playoff berth.

The challenge now is turning that improvement into a postseason return.

San Jose has made its long-term strategy clear by committing $94 million to Celebrini. Rather than simply viewing him as the brightest piece of a rebuilding roster, the Sharks are betting that he can become the player around whom a Stanley Cup contender is built.

After two seasons, Celebrini already owns the franchise’s single-season scoring record, has produced one of the greatest teenage campaigns in NHL history and has become an Olympic silver medallist.

Now he has another distinction: the richest annual salary in the NHL.