Well founded rumor has it that Macklin Celebrini will be wearing the captain's "C" when the San Jose Sharks begin their 2026-27 season at home versus the Florida Panthers. There are always some that question giving such an important leadership role to a young player, but like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby before him, Celebrini is so exceptional that he's worthy of an exception.
McDavid received the "C" when he was 19 years and 266 days old. Crosby had his "C"sewn on his sweater at 19 years, 297 days. Celebrini will be 20 years and 108 days old when the puck drops. Almost have a year old than McDavid was, but that is more a function of birth month than relative readiness. Anyone who watched the Sharks play, or the Olympic or International Ice Hockey Federation's World Championships, can tell you without a doubt that Celebrini is ready. The Sharks' superstar hasn't batted an eyelash under the big spotlight, and he's the next big Canadian superstar.
Heavy is the head that wears the crown
There will always be certain players who chafe against the idea of their "leader" being younger than they are. While he didn't mention it during his rather underwhelming stint as an Oiler, Milan Lucic's post-trade comments laid out his opinions pretty clearly on having McDavid as captain. Time has shown the world that Lucic isn't the best person to judge character, and if his time in Edmonton was "overachieving" well then...
The most important thing to most National Hockey League players is winning. Celebrini is the rare sort of player that can shift the balance of any game during his twenty or so minutes on the ice. Crosby saw the potential, encouraging Team Canada to name Celebrini its leader at the recent World Championships in Switzerland. And it's safe to assume that the vast majority of his San Jose teammates will be similarly supportive.
In Edmonton, McDavid as captain led his team back to the Stanley Cup playoffs in the spring of 2017. Crosby took a year or two, but he was still in his early twenties when he hoisted the Cup over his head as Penguins' captain. Whether Celebrini's team will ascend into the ranks of contenders or even potentially champions under his captainship is yet to be seen, but he's undoubtedly going to be the heart of that franchise for years to come.
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