Celebrini Named Among NHL's Top 20 Centers as His $94 Million Extension Anchors San Jose's Rebuild

Macklin Celebrini was named one of the top 20 centers in the NHL this week, an accolade that arrives alongside the contract that made it official: a five-year, $94 million extension signed July 29, carrying an $18.8 million average annual value and making the 20-year-old the highest-paid player in the league. His 2026 season — 24 goals and 49 assists for 73 points in 48 games — provided the statistical basis for both the recognition and the commitment.

The extension is the centerpiece of a broader offseason in which San Jose has tried to build a contender around Celebrini rather than wait for one to emerge organically. The Sharks finished 39-43 last season, missing the playoffs, and responded by adding three defensemen — Jacob Trouba on a four-year deal, Michael Kesselring on a three-year contract, and Darnell Nurse via trade from Edmonton — while also locking in forward Collin Graf to a three-year extension three days after Celebrini signed. The organizational logic is straightforward: secure the franchise center, stabilize the blue line, and let the pieces around him develop.

Whether the math works out is the open question entering training camp. Logan Couture remains on injured reserve, and the forward group beyond Celebrini carries real uncertainty. The Hockey News projected San Jose as a playoff team in 2026-27, and Celebrini's latest recognition suggests the individual talent is there. The structural question is whether the defensive additions can hold up their end of the arrangement.