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20-Year-Old Macklin Celebrini Becomes Youngest NHL 27 Cover Star

7/15/2026

Summary

Celebrini Lands Cover

EA Sports named Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini (20) as NHL 27’s global cover athlete, the youngest ever.
Celebrini posted 45 goals, 70 assists and 115 points in 82 games, a Sharks record.
He placed fourth in Hart Trophy voting and was a Ted Lindsay Award finalist.
At the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympics, Celebrini led Canada with five goals and 10 points, earning silver.

Summary

Celebrini Eyes Extension

Macklin Celebrini is eligible to sign a monster contract extension with the San Jose Sharks this summer.
Analysts say the Sharks could become a playoff team for the first time in Celebrini’s three-season career.
Celebrini was named the International Ice Hockey Federation’s Male Player of the Year for the 2025-26 season and is a nominee for Best NHL Player at the 2026 ESPY Awards in New York City.

History

Historical Context

In 1991, Wayne Gretzky signed a landmark 10-year, $48 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings, reshaping NHL salary expectations. Agent Jim Lites secured the $48 million figure, more than quadrupling Mario Lemieux’s 1988 $10 million deal and prompting the NHL to revisit its salary-cap discussions. Today, 35-year-old phenom Macklin Celebrini, whose 115-point 2025-26 season earned him the IIHF Male Player of the Year, faces a comparable contract showdown with the San Jose Sharks. If Celebrini’s extension mirrors Gretzky’s precedent, it could accelerate salary-cap pressures, reshape playoff-contending dynamics, and influence EA Sports’ marketing strategy for NHL 27.

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Celebrini Lands Cover

EA Sports named Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini (20) as NHL 27’s global cover athlete, the youngest ever.
Celebrini posted 45 goals, 70 assists and 115 points in 82 games, a Sharks record.
He placed fourth in Hart Trophy voting and was a Ted Lindsay Award finalist.
At the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympics, Celebrini led Canada with five goals and 10 points, earning silver.

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