San Jose Sharks
Sharks, Celebrini Host Make-A-Wish Cancer Survivor Luke Schumann at Practice
The San Jose Sharks and Macklin Celebrini welcomed Make-A-Wish cancer survivor Luke Schumann to practice.
Schumann is five, and the San Jose Sharks, in partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, granted the Minnesota native’s wish, to meet Celebrini.
Celebrini, closer in age to Schumann than some of his Sharks’ teammates, spent time with Schumann before, during, and after practice on Friday. During practice, Schumann and his two siblings Ryan and Ellie took shots on Gabriel Carriere, passed the puck with Celebrini and Will Smith, led post-practice push-ups, and more.
Luke Schumann has a locker room stall! pic.twitter.com/iNQulKwnqP
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 4, 2025
Macklin Celebrini skates with Luke Schumann, the 5 year old with the Make a Wish program who wanted to spend the day with the Sharks rookie pic.twitter.com/xspCkJa53W
— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) April 4, 2025
Macklin Celebrini, Jack Thompson, Mario Ferraro, and Will Smith playing some keep away with the Schumann family #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/bzivosfz12
— Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) April 4, 2025
The Schumanns lead #SJSharks in post-practice push-ups pic.twitter.com/49VE4QCcdL
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 4, 2025
“We were building some chemistry out there,” Celebrini said of potential 2038 draft pick Schumann. “Hopefully when he gets older, we can play together.”
Schumann even took a penalty shot at the end of a drill in front of the team. A San Jose Sharks practice tradition under head coach Ryan Warsofsky, a goalie save means that the skaters have to skate and vice versa.
Sharks have a very audible reaction to Luke just being wide, they had to skate! #thefutureisteal #makeawish pic.twitter.com/syWajCnGlV
— Annie 🦈⚡️ (@SanJosAnnie) April 4, 2025
Goalie Alexandar Georgiev swore to San Jose Hockey Now that he tried to let Schumann score.
Both Celebrini and Schumann faced the media afterwards, and the five-year-old, showing character, denied Warsofsky’s joke that he told Schumann to miss the breakaway to make his skaters skate.
For Macklin Celebrini, it was an honor to be chosen by Schumann for his wish.
“Just being able to do that for him and make that kind of wish come true and be there for him, I’m grateful,” Celebrini told SJHN in Anaheim.
For the Sharks, last place in the NHL and on a four-game skid, days like today provide a much-needed bit of perspective late in the season.
“You saw all the guys smiling, having a good time,” Celebrini said. “I think it does bring a lot of joy and perspective to our group.”
Schumann’s wish continues tomorrow, when Celebrini picks him up from his hotel to take him to the game versus the Seattle Kraken. Schumann will also read the starting line-up to the San Jose Sharks in the room, ride the Zamboni, and meet SJ Sharkie.
What’s been Schumann’s favorite part so far?
“Going bar down,” he said.
Luke says this was his favorite celly that he learned today https://t.co/MO0071Tshm
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 4, 2025
Special thanks to Josh Frojelin for his help with this story.
