What “Nothing” Celebrini Defensive Play Did Warsofsky Celebrate Like “Big Goal”? (+)

Macklin Celebrini is going to win a lot of hockey games one day.

And not just because of his offensive skill, which is staggering. The 19-year-old has already posted the third-most prolific season for a teenager in NHL history with 108 points. With four games left this season, he’s trying to break Joe Thornton’s San Jose Sharks franchise record for most points in a year, 114 in 2006-07.

It’s also because of how he thinks the game.

Head coach Ryan Warsofsky has seen Celebrini’s defensive mind-set over the last two years, and even he’s still pleasantly surprised at times by his franchise center’s rapid growth.

After the San Jose Sharks edged the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on Monday, Warsofsky went out of his way to praise Celebrini’s defense.

“In the third period, probably a nothing play to you guys, but Mack’s underneath a wall battle on the defensive side,” Warsofsky said. “I was celebrating like it was a big goal.”

What was this “nothing play”?

Warsofsky shared it with San Jose Hockey Now recently.

Hockey Tactics 2026 author Jack Han also added his thoughts.