San Jose Sharks
Celebrini on Why He Tried To Decline Penalty, Sharks Praise His Integrity
CHICAGO — Macklin Celebrini keeps doing things that none of his teammates have ever seen.
But this time, it wasn’t some pretty pass or scorching snipe.
Last Thursday, in the middle of the San Jose Sharks’ game at the Edmonton Oilers, Celebrini drew a high sticking call on Mattias Ekholm. Ekholm’s stick, though it went high, doesn’t appear to have actually struck Celebrini though.
Macklin Celebrini has a flinch reaction to Ekholm’s stick coming up, ref raises his hand & Celebrini immediately waives to the officials that the stick didn’t catch him. Talk about a character player. 🫡#SJSharks #TheFutureIsTeal pic.twitter.com/9eec3kNWPr
— SnipeCity420 (@SnipeCity420) January 30, 2026
“It was just reflex. Like a stick came in my face and I felt the wind, so I just kind of flinched,” Celebrini told San Jose Hockey Now.
What happened next, Mario Ferraro and Zack Ostapchuk and Ryan Warsofsky are among those who have never seen this in person, at any level of hockey: The San Jose Sharks superstar vigorously protested the penalty, trying to get the power play that was called in his favor, called off.
But that’s just Celebrini.
Two weeks ago, after the San Jose Sharks’ 3-2 victory at the Washington Capitals, a local reporter, with no trace of accusation in his tone, asked Celebrini about a pair of penalties that he drew on Caps defenseman John Carlson.
Celebrini, somewhat unusual for the clearly media-trained teenager, took a stand.
Read the full article at NBC Sports Bay Area
As long as he knows not to do that when he makes the playoffs. Gretzky was a notorious diver. Even Nolan learned to start going down when he thought it would draw a penalty. If you’re truly about winning you do whatever you can short of injurying people.
Thank the lord you said it first because if I said it I would get crucified lol , I was actually embarrassed for him when he did that and just chalked it up to being a naive kid. We lost the fucking game and we’re fighting for our playoff lives here.
Anyone think the goal that was taken away would have been awarded? Ostapchuk really didn’t interfere at all, but the Sharks didn’t want to risk it because they don’t ever seem to get the calls
It’s just the call on the ice that made the decision for him, it’s hard to overturn a judgment call.
No joke. I’ve been watch the cup playoffs for nearly 40 years. You do whatever is necessary. And as far as injuring guys, you’re not looking to end careers but you’re hitting to knock guys out of the game in the playoffs.
I don’t know why guys don’t take a bite out of their lip and spit out a little blood in front of the ref when they got high sticked and it doesn’t draw blood.
Imagine doing that and getting called for Embellishment 😆
I have thought the same thing for decades. I would totally do it every time. I actually have a little bump scar on the inside of my lower lip where I got hit in the face with puck that I can easy chew a piece off.😜
I do wonder if teams should be given an option to decline penalties.
It wouldn’t happen often, but it would change the relationship between officials and coaches/players. Given how uneven (as diplomatic as I can get) refs are in the NHL, maybe that helps?
Feels like it would further drive a wedge between the league and the teams on one side and refs on the other. An honour system would signal even less faith in the officiating.
Is is possible to have less faith in the officiating?
It’s a really really hard job, being an NHL ref. Honestly I just would like to see the same call consistently made no matter which side it is. There have been a lot of nights where Celebrini just gets mauled and refs swallow their whistles and then something less egregious gets called the other way. That’s when I get sad
I do differentiate between bad calls because of the difficulty of the job and inconsistent officiating.
Refs have their favorites and biases. Mostly though, I think refs don’t like being embarrassed. In the infamous WCF series vs Vancouver in (2011?), Roenick called out the officials blowing calls and how they were falling for the Canucks acting jobs. I think that happened after game 2. Rest of the series, the officiating improved — may have favored the Sharks. The Canucks made them look bad. The refs noticed. And changed.
A coach would never decline receiving a PP.
Shows his character and yet another reason he will be wearing the C next season. What a person to lead the locker room. We are a very blessed fan base to have him as our future captain.
I know a mid season C probably isn’t likely, but I would love to see a gold medal winning Celebrini return home and have a C on his chest for the final push. It’s the cheapest way to make a change in the locker room if they don’t make any more major trade splashes, which I honestly am not expecting. I think the squad would see it as a sign that the new era has begun and it’s real now. Then in the offseason, Mack and Will sign their 8 year deals and honestly I’m hoping Graf gets one too.… Read more »
I’d actually like to see the Sharks play 1 or 2 games down the stretch without Macklin. The coaches talk about how Macklin drags the team into the fight. I’d like to see the team drag themselves into the fight. Its part of the maturing process.
Macklin’s abilities hide a lot. I’d like to get a clearer look at this team when it can’t rely on one guy.
I think it’s fine to assume that the team without Macklin “isn’t very good” and to treat the state of affairs as such. Having said that, I think the forward group is really rounding into form, especially if they can successfully transition away from Goodrow and Reaves on the 4th line, which I think Sherwood ‘s presence allows. He PK’s and he hits. So focus on whatever it takes to get this defense up to snuff and that might get us where we want to be. The defense has been a LOT better than last year, but it’s not championship… Read more »
I’m not saying this team would be the Canucks, but if you took away Macklin and you take away the belief this team has that they have a chance every night, that kinda sounds like the Canucks.
I’m not sure the result of having Macklin take a game off would be so dire. It opens up ice time and gives others a chance to show they can also lead.
With a great talent, its easy to become overly reliant on that person. Having Macklin sit out a game or two might show a bunch of warts, it might also allow some lights to shine
So many veterans on this squad they shouldn’t need a 19 year old to fldrag them in. I’m not sure he’s dragging them in so much as simply saving their collective asses. Honestly not their fault even though. The team is what it is. Just not that talented yet. They just have to play good enough to keep it close and hope Celly can save them.
Warsofsky is the one who said Macklin drags them into the fight.
Maybe the players don’t need Macklin to do that. It’d be good to know what the rest of the team is made of. It’d be a great sign if Macklin sits and the team rises to the occasion.
But I think we agree, Macklin makes it harder to see the rest of the team as clearly.
The talent is there, the experience — not so much
Yeah I know, I’m saying if he wasn’t playing they have enough veterans they should be able to drag themselves into the fight on their own.
Problem is a change like that maybe gets you some extra juice for a game. Not like Celly isn’t already playing his heart out.
If that were to happen, it would almost certainly need to be a team-driven decision. Or at the very least, if Warsofsky decided this outright, he would need to approach the team for their input and blessing. Not that any teammate would oppose this, but ut woukd go a long way in team continuity.
Back when they made Patty captain, it was the players who said stop rotating captains and make him captain.
I would not mind it but it is very unlikely. As to the extensions, next season the new CBA kicks in and the longest contract they can sign is 7 years. It is going to be interesting to see how GMMG navigates the cap in the next couple seasons with the young players they will need to sign to contracts.
All the guys eligible this offseason can sign for 8 still. It’s the last year
You are correct, as long as he signs before September 16. I sure hope they do.
Yup! That’s what I’ve been saying! I really hope that the veterans band together and make that decision for Warso. That would seem like the best way for it to happen
I do love the integrity, but every coach I had growing up would have stapled my ass to the bench for a move like that.
That’s only because you had no talent and it was going to happen anyways.
Only joking, but Macklin does what he wants and it becomes the right thing retroactively. For regular ass guys like us, it’s just different
I would hope a coach working with kids wouldn’t do that. Pretty certain none of the guys I know in Jr Winterhawks would do that.
if it were anyone else you could make an argument that it was a selfish move putting one’s personal reputation ahead of the team and a man advantage. But it’s Macklin so I won’t.
Take the fall! Act hurt! Get indignant!
Celebrini trying to decline the penalty doesn’t bother me, but there is a big difference between being a diver and this. Nothing wrong with just letting the refs call the game. If anything, doing this has a small chance of the ref, depending on who it is, feeling like Celebrini is trying to show him up by the gestures and letting the whole arena know he made the wrong call. Best to just leave it be.
A thing I found kind of humorous was the next game for the team, at home, Regenda took a crazy dive behind the net. Didn’t get call. The example isn’t getting followed.
I missed that. You sure it was a dive? He doesn’t strike me as a diver. It is pretty slippery out there.
Yeah I had a perfect view of it. Had to be the Rangers game, I guess. D-man near him, I think his stick got in the vicinity of Regenda’s feet and Regenda did a full frog splash.
It was one of those where the ref didn’t just ignore it and decline to call anything but made “no fucking way” gestures at him.
Geez, kinda disappointing. I guess in his role he’s just doing anything he can to give the team an advantage.
They haven’t had a home game since Celebrini tried to decline the penalty.
Yeah, then I guess it was right after another similar thing where something happened and Celebrini commented about how he wouldn’t dive. That was a separate thing in the last couple weeks, so it was right after that then.
Very good point.
Whatever you think of the practice of declining penalties, this only deepens Prince Mack’s claim as heir apparent to King Sid’s crown.
Since Owen Nolan has come up the last couple days, did you guys know he joined the Army? This NIL eligibility stuff is crazy.
ok, so is this just a joke or is that his kid?
It’s just a guy named Owen Nolan, they’re not related. Just kinda random and funny.
A report just came out stating that Drury asked for Will Smith as part of a return for a Panarin trade. That’s laughable!
Grier probably laughed in his face.
Massive dropoff from Will Smith to Greentree. Greentree isn’t even that highly thought of by the writers who think about these things, at the very least. I feel like this offer was bearable and Grier was never serious about Panarin. And I feel like almost all on this board are quite ok with that
Would have been cool but I think there are better ways to build this think.
Panarin to Kings for a conditional 3rd and prospect Liam Greentree.
Breadman traded to the Kings. Thank goodness we don’t have to worry about that. They got a 3rd, 4th and a prospect. Expected much more.
Rangers retained 50%. If LA wins a playoff round, the conditional 3rd becomes a 2026 2nd. If they win 2 playoff rounds, a 2028 4th is added.
The extension Panarin got was only 2 years, too. I think he handpicked the Kings and he wanted more term and or money from the Sharks. At any rate, the Kings are a much better team now, and probably will take one of the 3 spots we’ve been talking about. Now, I’m sort of rooting for them to lose to Edmonton for the 5th straight year.