The San Jose Sharks have missed the playoffs for seven straight seasons, but they are investing heavily in forward Macklin Celebrini.
On Wednesday, the Sharks and Celebrini agreed to a new five-year deal worth $18.8 million per season, making him the highest-paid player in NHL history. It will be a total of five years and $94 million for the 20-year-old Sharks sensation.
#sjsharks announce Macklin Celebrini contract extension: 5 years x $18.8 million.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 29, 2026
Anaheim Ducks star Leo Carlsson signed a five-year deal worth $90 million in July, putting him at $18 million per season, so Celebrini’s new contract is almost $1 million more per season.
The Sharks selected Celebrini first overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. In two seasons, he has played in 152 games with 70 goals and 108 assists, and he had a total of 115 points this past season for the Sharks. That marked a single-season record for the Sharks.
Celebrini added that he “couldn’t be happier” after signing the new deal.
“I couldn’t be happier to sign an extension today,” Celebrini said, via the official release from NHL.com. “ 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. I can’t wait to get going.”
The Sharks have plenty of work remaining to get back to the playoffs, but Celebrini will be in town for at least the next five seasons.
