San Jose Sharks phenom Maclin Celebrini capped off a season at age 19 where he broke the franchise's single-season points record and reached milestones that were only achieved by the all-time greats. With this he can break some new records with his next contract.
In a poll of NHL agents conducted by The Athletic, Celebrini received the second-most votes to select who will be the highest-paid player in hockey by the start of the 2028–29 season.
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"Why shouldn't Celebrini make $20 million a year? I mean, that's a lot, but look at that kid. I guess my thing with Celebrini is I know it's not apples to apples because Kaprizov could have become a UFA, but if you're that, why wouldn't I say, Kaprizov is getting it, why shouldn't I make more than Kaprizov?"
NHL agent on Macklin Celebrini potentially getting $20M/year contract
Another survey asked agents about the future contracts of both Celebrini and fellow No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard. While the Chicago Blackhawks star received considerable praise, the general consensus was that Celebrini is on a "very different level" than Bedard.
An agent suggested that Celebrini's eventual extension with San Jose would be in the range of $10 to $17 million per season. If the 19-year-old were to sign a short-term deal, it would most likely be somewhere between $10-12 million. If he wants long-term security and a long-term commitment to the club, that figure could reach more than $17 million.
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"He's going to get a big deal, and they're going to have to pay him. What Celebrini is doing in San Jose is incredible. It's happening at a slower pace with other contracts being so big. This is going to take him to another level, which will reshape the way teams squeeze in their high-level guys."
Undisclosed NHL agent on potential Macklin Celebrini contract extension (via The Athletic)
Celebrini is eligible to sign a contract extension with the Sharks on July 1. During his record-breaking season, in which he set multiple single-season franchise marks and joined the record books of legends like Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby, the team was relatively quiet on a potential long-term deal.
However, Sharks general manager Mike Grier joked with reporters when asked about the matter earlier this season, saying "We probably wouldn't try to sign him."
For now, according to PuckPedia.com, Celebrini is under contract for next season with an $877,500 base salary with a $975,000 cap hit and performance bonuses of up to $3.5 million. While he is eligible for restricted free agency as a 21-year-old after the 2026-27 season, he will likely have a new deal with San Jose before 2027.
