Macklin Celebrini says he foresees a long future with the San Jose Sharks

SAN JOSE – Macklin Celebrini said there have been no contract extension talks with the San Jose Sharks, but added he sees a long future with the organization.

“Looking at what we have and what we’re building,” Celebrini told Sportsnet this week in an interview published on Friday. “I think we should all be excited for things to come.”

Although his entry-level contract still has one year remaining, Celebrini, now eligible for an extension, said in April that he’s open to getting a deal done this summer, as is general manager Mike Grier.

When it comes to hammering out Celebrini’s next contract, Grier said Thursday that he’s not necessarily waiting for other young stars like Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, and Leo Carlsson to set the market.

“We haven’t had any discussions with Mack about what he’s looking for or what his number might be,” Grier said. “I’m not sure how worried he is about those other guys. He’s kind of a step above them in my view.”

Reminded in a lighthearted fashion that such a statement might cause him to lose some leverage in negotiations with Celebrini’s camp, Grier said flatly, “We’re going to have to pay him regardless.”

As restricted free agents, Bedard, the dynamic Chicago Blackhawks center, Carlsson of the Anaheim Ducks, and the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Fantilli figure to all cash in big this summer after completing their three-year entry-level contracts. Both Carlsson and Fantilli are 21.

The next deal for Bedard, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2023 who turns 21 on July 17, could make him one of the NHL’s highest-paid players in terms of average annual value. Minnesota Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov now holds that title as his new eight-year deal carries a $17 million AAV.

Celebrini’s next contract will likely far exceed the $11.5 million cap hit of Erik Karlsson’s franchise-record deal that he signed with the Sharks in 2019.

It’s just a matter of when it gets done and how long of an extension it will be, but it might not necessarily hinge on the deals for Bedard, Carlsson and Fantilli, three players who combined for 201 points in 221 games this past season, when Celebrini had a Shaks record 115 points in 82 games.

“I think a lot of it’s up in the air,” Grier said of when these new deals get signed. “Talking to the other managers who have those guys, I don’t know if it’s a who blinks first type of thing. I don’t know if someone’s waiting for someone to go first or not.”

Celebrini told Sportsnet that while it was difficult to see several players from last season’s team, including defensemen Mario Ferraro and winger William Eklund, no longer with the Sharks, he’s excited about the additions, such as defensemen Darnell Nurse and Jacob Trouba and winger Mason Marchment.

He’s also excited about who the Sharks drafted, including forward Ivar Stenberg, who just signed an ELC and figures to be on the NHL roster this fall.

Asked what impresses him about Stenberg, who he competed against at the IIHF World Championship in May, Celebrini said, “Just the way he skates and all the skills he possesses. Just how calm and good he is with the puck. He’s also a competitor, which I love. I think it’s going to be great for us, just the way he drives the game and wants to win.”

With the departures of Ferraro and Eklund, winger Collin Graf is now the Sharks’ longest tenured player at just over two seasons. Forward Barclay Goodrow has played 427 games with the Sharks, but is in his second stint with the team after he was plucked off waivers from the New York Rangers in June 2024.

“It’s weird, just because it’s my first couple of years in the NHL, and I’m not really used to how much turnover there is on a team,” Celebrini said. “So, it’s really tough to lose guys like (William) Eklund and (Ryan) Reaves and (Vincent) Desharnais and (Mario) Ferraro, all those guys that left. Because you build that relationship and that friendship with them, and it’s tough to see them go.

“It’s crazy that we’re going to have a completely different team next year. But it’s also exciting, just the steps that we’re taking and how we’re all looking forward to the future.”