San Jose Sharks
Sharks Locker Room: Celebrini Dragging Team Into Playoff Fight, On & Off the Ice
LOS ANGELES — If you want to learn about Macklin Celebrini, don’t ask Macklin Celebrini.
“He took over that game there,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said, after Celebrini, with 1:07 left, scored the unassisted game-tying goal, then assisted on William Eklund’s overtime winner.
The San Jose Sharks would win 4-3 in OT over wild card rival Los Angeles Kings.
The OT winner
Jim Fox, on the broadcast: "From that point on, you're dead."https://t.co/DAEAsAMExm— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 8, 2026
Naturally, that’s not how Celebrini described his game-tying goal: “[They] tried to rim it out and [I] tried to keep in and then try to make a play.”
That was a little more than “a play”.
“He just danced that guy,” Eklund said. “Enough can’t be said about [Celebrini].”
Eklund added, about his game-winner: “Obviously, if you’re open, Mack is gonna find you.”
The San Jose Sharks have a confidence that they haven’t had in years, and a lot of it is because of the Notorious H.U.M.B.L.E..
“The stuff that he does on the ice, and the way he competes, the skills and what he does, his God-given talent, is one thing,” Warsofsky said, “but the way he drags our players into the fight, that’s what special players do, and that’s what’s most impressive to me.”
Celebrini has done more than drag his 22-18-3 team, first wild card spot, into the playoff fight. He’s dragged the entire organization into it, changing the timeline for the rebuild.
Celebrini turning a loss into a win in Los Angeles is a microcosm of that.
The San Jose Sharks have, ahead of schedule, one of the best players in the world. You have to plan accordingly and get the 19-year-old help right now.
That’s as good as reason as any that there are rumors the Sharks are looking to add a veteran scorer like Kiefer Sherwood. Or why San Jose chose to re-sign pending UFA Alex Wennberg, instead of dangling him for a top pick or prospect.
Getting Celebrini more help two years from now — perhaps the plan before — is wasting two years of his prime.
“Sitting with the coaches in there, it’s the first time in my four years, where there’s this emotion in our locker room. It’s hard to even put into words, the feeling that we get after that type of game, that emotional win. But there’s some real good stuff going on right now,” Warsofsky, who was an assistant coach under previous Sharks head coach David Quinn from 2022 to 2024, said. “We’re definitely making steps in the right direction of where we want to get to as an organization. And credit to the group that they’ve put in the work. They understand how we want to play. They just stick with it. They don’t give up. But the feeling in that locker room is pretty special.”
Ryan Warsofsky
Warsofsky, on if he has any more words to describe Celebrini:
I mean, he just keeps impressing us and impressing us and getting better and better, and he took over that game there. Makes a hell of a play on the 6-on-5. He’s definitely turning into a superstar right before our eyes, that’s for sure.
Warsofsky, on Eklund: "Eky was really good again tonight. I thought he was good last night. We're starting to see the guy we saw there in training camp and early part of the season before his injuries."
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 8, 2026
Macklin Celebrini
Celebrini: "It's a different kind of swagger and feeling in our group."
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 8, 2026
William Eklund
Eklund, on Celebrini’s game-tying strike:
I was just so focused on getting open for him, and he just danced that guy. Enough can’t be said about this guy.
Adam Gaudette
Gaudette, on the San Jose Sharks’ defensive effort:
They’re a good team. They got a lot of good players on their team, and they gel really well together. They zip the puck around the O-zone. I think defensively, we did a pretty good job tonight. We’re going to keep harping on that.
I still think trading for a player like Sherwood would be a mistake but I am warming to the idea of trading for a player(s) that won’t just be impactful in the present but also into the future around the young core. Don’t think Sherwood fits that description as a 30 year old pending UFA 3rd line winger. The focus should still be more on the future if you make an addition.
Agreed. Even the talk of defensive help is understandable but may be totally unnecessary. Sam Dickinson is starting to play some very good hockey and even Nick Leddy looked really good for two games in a row. Perhaps getting healthy is really what they need because I can’t wait to see both Will Smith and Shakir Mukhamadullin with this group now.
They’re specifically linked in rumors to adding a 25 or younger defender. That is definitely needed especially with nearly all the D on expiring contracts.
Nick Leddy looked like a tire fire to me last night. Good at moving pucks when he has some space, yes. But no awareness when defending, does not engage. I saw the great prof hockey was also a fan of Leddys game last night, but it scared me every time
he was on the ice.
Sammy D looking better and better though. Maybe on the Will Smith path.
Sorry but you’re incorrect. He was serviceable last 2 games. Last night may have been his best of the season. Not saying I want him to play more, but he wasn’t the problem last night.
Yeah, I don’t think Sherwood is the kind of guy Grier would want to extend, and rentals don’t make any sense. They are playoff contenders, not Cup contenders, this year.
Grier’s patience and deliberate way of going about things is one if his best assets. He can identify that the timeline moved up and act accordingly without getting dumb about it.
Actually I got the feeling that Sherwood is very much a Grier type player. 3rd liners who can pot 20+ goals are championship players.
Having said that, we have a bunch of guys in the pipeline who are almost ready, including Bystedt and Lund, and I’d be willing to find out what I have there first before I give up significant assets for Sherwood.
Right now, I’d rather spend the capital on the D, I think the forwards are on a pretty decent track
the only guy who seems like he might be in the Sherwood mold eventually is Lund. Maybe musty?
Don’t know why you got downvoted for this, but yeah, likely, Lund or Musty.
But Sherwood would be a mistake, imo. No reason to take on a winger, who’s a UFA, who is having a career year SP% wise. Plus, he’s past his prime. Late bloomer, maybe, but wouldn’t be a fan of paying the cost unless it’s a 2nd rounder or later plus a mid-prospect
That’s one of my fans. I would get downvoted for saying I hate when kids get cancer. I try to acknowledge them here and there especially when they’re being hilariously petty.🙂
Can we please stop talking about Sherwood like he’s a consistent 20+ goal scorer? He scored 19 goals last year. He will score more this year but he’s getting PP time that he would not get in San Jose and shooting well above his career norm screaming his scoring rate this season isn’t remotely sustainable.
No way to know yet but I bet he would get PP time in SJ. He’s also a classic late bloomer. It’s how his game has evolved. The reality is that even if he’s 15 goal scorer, he’s valuable for the sharks to add even if his normal place is the 3rd line. I assume you’ve watched the Panthers in the playoffs the last 3 seasons? Who in the system or on the roster that’s not on the 4th line is going to play that physically? He would be a great addition. He isn’t some worthless pylon. The fact that… Read more »
Grier is an expert dumpster diver, as demonstrated last year in free agency. Some teams signed guys with more name recognition who are now being healthy scratched (Mangiapane and Trent Frederic) and Grier found value with Kurashev and Gaudette.
Sherwood is going to command more money and years than his skillset deserves. He’s a decent filler piece, somebody you enjoy having early in their career before letting someone else pay them for their decline.
Sorry but wrong.
Well, you’re a moron who thinks paying him like Wennberg would be desirable.
Boom!! Hit em with his own line!
Piling on with that ignoramus? Good to know…
😂 I’m just joking along! I think over time I’ve come to understand your online persona a bit better, and I definitely don’t wanna be on your bad side. Plus, at this point calling someone a moron/idiot/dumdum is your trademark move! It’s like seeing Stone Cold Steve Austin get Stone Cold Stunned.
like I said I use dum dum as more of good than an insult but clearly it doesn’t come across that way even when I emoji the shit out of it.
I was trying to be nice with you… oh well. Fuck you. I just threw out a number I have no clue what he might make, you fuckwit. I’ve said on numerous occasions I don’t know what these guys may make. The rising cap means they’re all going to make a lot more than any of us predict right now. Wennberg probably took at least 1mil per haircut to stay in SJ. Eat💩🖕😘
I agree that Sherwood is a GMMG type of player and could fit into their immediate needs but I would be curious about a couple things. First; room would have to be made for him. Let us assume that Misa plays his tenth game. They are then at 51 contracts which is not a big issue. GMMG could move a player in the AHL/ECHL and it is taken care of (example Bowers). It is the roster I am curious about. We all assume there would be one or two defensemen on the move. Who? We do not know. But there… Read more »
I can see Eklund getting moved. I really like the way he plays and he seemed to have picked up his scoring playing next to Mack lately too. The concern would be playoff hockey. I hope they make the playoff this year. Would be fun to find out who’s a playoff stud like the Cooch.
would be nuts to move one of your top forwards, signed for a reasonable deal with rfa rights at the end, unless you’re getting an established young stud dman in return and i doubt any of those are on offer at the deadline
I would pick up my scoring playing with Celly. 🤣
just a heads up, if you talk like that some here will accuse you of being my burner account.🤣
They have a shit ton of UFAs. They have plenty of guys to move. At this point I think I’d rather have Sherwood than Skinner.
the problem isn’t guys you can move on from, it’s what you have to give up for sherwood – sounds like the current asking price is 1st and a prospect, and even if that goes down to something like a 2nd and 4th (which i assume at least a couple of teams would give up) i don’t see the point of paying that for a rental
I’ve heard it’s a 2nd.
No Sherwood. Too old for our timeline. Too expensive to acquire. Pumping up his numbers this year with extra opportunity. Fully convinced MG will not do this move
Not really. He’s basically the same age as Wenny. Can’t have a team of 25 and younger guys. Have to have a mix.
Why don’t you think Grier would want to extend him? Of course he would assuming the cost isn’t rediculous. He’s probably going to make something in the range of Wenny. With the rising cap that’ll be reasonable and it’s an ingredient this team needs. I figured you’d be the biggest supporter of adding a guy like this. He’s a hit first forechecker who scores goals. Kinda like a Temu Owen Nolan.😜
It’s never a bad idea to get someone who fits the longer timeline. Adding a league leading hitter who can score goals will be incredibly important to this teams playoff success now and in the future.
My good opinion of Mike Grier would really plummet he if trades for Sherwood, especially if he pays Sherwood’s highly inflated market value this season.
Congrats to Sherwood. He is having a great season. But last I looked he was shooting at 18.8% or something ridiculous like that. This is a 30 year old guy who has 43 career goals in the NHL before this season. He is due for a massive regression. This is like buying stock right at the moment the bubble is going to burst.
I had a thought this morning that brought me a lot of joy… Kings fans are going to have to deal with this guy for at least the next 15 years. He’s going to cause so much pain for so many people who so richly deserve to feel pain. Mwahaha
At least they didn’t pass on him the way the Sharks passed on Kopitar.🙁
Definitely a mistake. On the other hand, Devin Setoguchi got packaged off for Brent Burns. So you could say that mistake was partially subsidized.
I loved Seto and Burns, but Kopitar is a clutch HOF #1C.
That clip that panned to Will Ferrell after Mack’s goal – have a bad time Kings fans!
He’s in a glass case of emotion
Pavol Regenda finally confirmed to Slovakia’s Olympic team, Kush makes the Swiss team. Even more exciting: Joachim Blichfield, Alex True, and Leon Gawanke made the Danish and German teams, we’re entering the next phase of Grier’s long game.
“Getting Celebrini more help two years from now — perhaps the plan before — is wasting two years of his prime.”
Someone tell Zeke.
I heard it. From the beginning of the season, I’ve said, “sell high.” This moment is a sell high moment. I also felt this would be the last “sell high” season. I agree there is a good argument for not selling. But I don’t think its the better argument. This team is still going to be defense limited. The one area of NHL hockey this team is best in the league is 3v3 OT. Macklin alone has 6 OT points, only MTL has more than 6 OT wins!! Its also the least useful part of the game come the playoffs.… Read more »
I *gasp* agree with a lot of what you said, especially the part about OT. The team has a LOT of extra points because Mack is an OT cheat code. Mack also happens to be a cheat code at 5v5, but that’s neither here nor there. But one little nit to pick is whether Grier could potentially keep stocking the system with picks later in the rounds, and I think he could. If he has the picks, that is. Contender tend to trade those picks for pieces, but Grier’s track record in the late 1st and early 2nd is pretty… Read more »
They have the extra OT points because they’ve been incredibly lucky. McDavid is also a cheat code and has Draisatl as well and the Oilers have lost more games in OT than won. There are a lot of good players in the league and OT is random.
Had the exact same term for Macklin in OT. He really is a cheat code there. Once the Wennberg deal got done, and Wennberg was the Sharks most premium trade asset (assuming Eklund isn’t a consideration), the rest of the tradable group might get around a 1st equivalent. I could see Klingberg + 2nd getting a 1st. And Mario getting a 2nd. Net would be a protected 1st, maybe a tad more. Not sure I see anyone else with an expiring deal worth more than a 3rd. It’ll really suck if this team winds one player short of greatness. I’d… Read more »
Exactly. Not all help is equal and it’s not just Celebrini’s prime that matters. It’s the TEAM’s prime. We’ve seen the problem of just constantly renting subpar veteran help for your star players in Edmonton and Toronto. It doesn’t take you all the way and it leaves you roster and salary cap problems that holds you back later. Then when the moment is right, your cupboards are empty because you already traded away all your draft picks for aforementioned subpart veterans. Honestly, I can see why sports betting is such a big thing. Sports fans inherently have the mentality of… Read more »
Yup.
Grier needs to make a move IMO. Whether it’s figuring out how to add a young defender which is likely too hard until the TDL and teams start selling, or adding a guy like Sherwood or someone in that vein. Personally I think they have enough soft skill in the top 9 to get them thru this season if everyone can get healthy. A power forward type who hits would be ideal. Sherwood checks a lot of boxes, scores goals (might get 25 this season, hits and he can skate well enough. He would help create room for Celly and… Read more »
Kurashev is Swiss. And Barkov is a Finn. And the Tkachuks are American. Get it straight! But seriously, my only question is “At what cost?” I don’t think a hitting 3rd line winger is the biggest need, and I don’t want to blow the #1 D fund to make the team just slightly more likely to get to the second round. Sure, you don’t want to waste 2 years of Mack’s prime. But you also don’t want to nerf the next decade by spending key assets on the wrong thing and not being patient enough to make the right moves.… Read more »
Kurashev may have been born in Switzerland but he’s still Russian and has citizenship in both countries and speaks both languages. I got it straight buddy. Dudes Russian. 😉
as far as cost for Sherwood, the rumor mill has them asking for a 2nd. I’m fine to trade the late 2nd for him and sign him for 3 years at 5 or 6mil per if that’s the going rate.
Kurashev is Swiss if you are counting him as one of the Russians playing together but it is cool to see the Russian contingent growing with Cherny, Orlov, Muk and Asky on the Sharks.
The only other Russians in their system as of now are Rimashevsky (LW) (KHL), Magomedsultanov (LD) (MHL) and Korostelyov (G) (VHL).
Just as a note: The KHL is an equivalent is Russia to the NHL, The VHL to the AHL and the MHL to the CHL (juniors).
Oh thanks for the info on Russian leagues!
See my reply to Kads… he’s ALSO Russian.😉
“Sharks are buyers at the trade deadline”
True or not, if these words don’t bring a smile to your face, you need to reconsider your fandom!
I did not think we would be talking about this, and anyone who says they did is a liar… In my wildest dreams, I was hoping for 75 pts this year and 95 pts next year. I was expecting about 100 pts from Mack, not 130. It’s just nuts.
I’m just enjoying the ride right now. Life is a journey
Sounds like a Smile to me!
You can hear that smile from 12 parsecs away!
😂 The force is strong in this one
I don’t know about buyers but my optimistic opinion in preseason was to at least be in the conversation. I got the receipts. 😜
🖕😘💕🫶
Lead in to the sports news last night.
Jessica Aguirre: “Joe Montana, Barry Bonds, Steph Curry and now Macklin Celebrini …”
I would have gone with Posey over Bonds, because the other guys are champions, but yes. This is the company we are in now
Or Willie Mays.
Say-Heylibrini.
Exactly! Willie Mays has gotta be the greatest of em all right?
I think in terms of just plain blowing up the record books, Jerry Rice is probably the most Gretzky-like Bay Area pro athlete to this point. But I think Mays has more of that vintage superstar aura.
Bonds was better than Posey. Dude dominated an era.
Purely a championships thing. I love Bonds. I also love Posey, I named my dog after him (her name was Posey, in case you were wondering). But the guys who got rings are in a different wing of the Bay Area Hall of Fame. And Steph, Joe, Jerry Rice, and Buster… those guys are the inner circle. Mack will take his place there someday, I think we are all pretty sure of it.
RIP Posey! My dog Mac was short for McCovey
For some reason McCovey’s contact sounded louder than everyone else on those little tiny TV speakers back in the day.
Rings are a team thing. I’m talking just best player. Barry Sanders is the best running back in NFL history and his lack of a championship doesn’t diminish that. I’m not even a bonds, or Giants or even baseball fan anymore and I chose Bonds. The guy I always loved was Ricky Henderson.
We already have scoring depth on the way when Misa and Smith return. We need help on the backend. Given the way University of Denver is playing right now Eric Pohlkamp could join the Sharks sooner rather than later. I say, stay the course, play the kids and try to get into the playoffs organically versus going out and getting a rental. The playoffs are still somewhat of a long-shot given that the Sharks will have to play at a slightly better pace (.560% ish win pct.) to make it.
Its not often I look at one moment and something changes for me. At the Spengler Cup, Pohlkamp (and I’m already a fan) went the to Ovechkin PP spot, got a feed and fired a 102mph one-timer for a goal (the Spengler Cup website reported it as 164kph). Now I’m not a fan of a great one-timer because it has limited use except on the PP. And to be useful, it has to be really great. 102mph from that spot is really great, assuming he can get it thru when teams know its coming. I’ll also note a lot of… Read more »
I agree, but I don’t think it’s a long shot. The schedule gets easier
They’re not looking at rentals from the rumors. They want longer term fits.
What are the rumors you’re referencing? I’m thinking about Colonel Hans Landa when he says, “OOooooh, I LOVE rumorrrrrsss!”
Pagnotta, Friedge, the usual suspects have posted stuff recently. Kinda obvious low hanging fruit though.
The Wennberg signing has clearly taken that locker room from happy to very happy. A new energy is evident. Humans like it when those close and important to you get their just rewards. It’s all part of a proper build. The danger of bringing in someone new is their fit with the team. Grier, if he makes a move, will be cautious about who he adds, but more importantly, who he subtracts. Which makes me think draft assets and players lower in the system, redundant but valuable, will be the only trade bait he’d consider.
Totally! I feel like Mac encouraging Wennberg to sign is an indication of leadership, and hopefully Wennberg and the other vets speak to the coaches about giving the C to Celebrini ASAP!
Exactly. Let the team grow from inside. We are looking for one more D. But also have Leo, Pohlkamp and Cags coming up. Let it grow, no need to make rash moves. Save all powder for the big D acquisition (don’t waste on non core fillers such as Sherwood), keep drafting well and let the kids continue to take over.
Agreed but I think that’s all a given. He was specific in the personalities he acquired for this season and the whole is greater than the individual pieces.
The sharks now have the most wins in the Pacific division
Who had that on their 2026 bingo card?
not me …
It’s just amazing to think about, really. Edmonton went to the last two Cup Finals and Vegas landed the biggest fish in the offseason. More wins than those guys? Ridiculous
It’s irrational, but I love thinking that it was a big mistake for Vegas to get Marner
Sad to say, but it was a big win.
Not sure if people noticed that, but that shot by a King player that went wide before the game winner was not shot wide. It was Askarov’s blocker. Without him we would have an OT loss. So it’s not on Macklin dragging the team to the wins. It’s actually true team effort.
That was Byfield and Askarov just completely eclipsed the goal for him, it was beautiful!
Byfield really isn’t that great of a scorer, honestly he’s kind of crap for a 2OA
Great comment
One of the things I’d do when I was writing about playoff contenders, I’d look at teams with regulation success vs OT success. The theory being that there’s no OT in the playoffs. To be clear I never did any correlation study — in part because teams change a lot over the course of a season. I’d look at the record of regulation wins, regulation losses and games tied at the end of regulation. RW-RL-Tied. Taking this view: Sharks: 12-15-13 Kraken: 14-14-13 Kings: 12-14-16 Ducks: 13-19-11 EDM: 16-16-11 Vegas: 13-11-17 Vegas leads the division — they have 17 3pt games!!… Read more »
I do sometimes wish playoff OT was 4-on-4. Not the full strange beast that 3-on-3 is but something a LITTLE more open. But you’re right enough that OT wins are hard to map onto sustainable success, never mind in the playoffs. Some folks throw out ALL games decided by one when evaluating what’s going on under the hood, as a victory that close is hard to quantify as “definitive”, no matter what folks say about Don’t Ask How. If we do that, the Sharks have only 9 wins by 2 or more goals, with 14 losses by 2 or more… Read more »
Well, I’d interpret a tie as a loss. The goal is to win. I wish it was like Baseball, where you either win or lose. I don’t believe in awarding partial points for half losses or one third losses, like the sometimes proposed 3-2-1 point system that people throw out there.
Huh. Sharks trade the Ryan Ellis contract, Jake Furlong, and a 2028 4th for Laurent Brossoit, Nolan Allan, and a 2028 7th. Same number of NHL contracts out as back, so no help on the Misa front. Brossoit isn’t bad, wonder if this means we see Ned get shipped out? I’m… not sure any return for him would be worth the steady impact he’s had as the backup.
Been a sports fan in the Bay Area for a half century. Bonds, Rice, Curry… those names are being thrown out and the comparisons are already valid.
Personally I don’t think I’ve witnessed a local athlete, though, that was this dynamic since Rickey Henderson.
That was my guy when I was a kid. Him, Tim Hardaway and Marcus Allen.