Sharks star Macklin Celebrini signs 5-year extension worth NHL-record $18.8M per season

Sharks star Macklin Celebrini signs 5-year extension worth NHL-record $18.8M per season originally appeared on NBC Sports PhiladelphiaMacklin Celebrini is staying in teal for the foreseeable future.Celebrini signed a five-year contract extension with the Sharks on Wednesday, worth an NHL-record $18.8 million per season.One of the brightest young stars in the sport, Celebrini previously had expressed his openness to an extension this summer.“I’m just open to every possibility. There’s nothing really that goes into it,” he told reporters on April 18, two days after the Sharks’ season ended. “I want to commit to this team and be here, and I love it here. I’m just open to whatever happens. Like I said, I haven’t really talked about it.”The newly 20-year-old phenom became eligible for an extension on July 1 as he begins the final year of his entry-level contract, signed after San Jose selected him No. 1 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.“In just two seasons as a teenager in the National Hockey League and on the International stage, Macklin has established himself as one of the premier players in the world,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier wrote Wednesday in a statement announcing the record-setting extension. “We are extremely excited to have him secured and committed as the centerpiece of a core of talented players in San Jose.“As we continue our goal of building a team capable of annually competing for the Stanley Cup, we want to thank Macklin and his representatives for a respectful negotiation process, and acknowledge the flexibility they have provided to the team in how we allocate future dollars towards the team being constructed around Macklin.”The agreement comes after a historic 2025-26 NHL season for Celebrini, who broke the Sharks franchise record for points in a single season with 115, eclipsing Joe Thornton and his 114 points from the 2006-07 season.“I couldn’t be happier to sign an extension today,” Celebrini wrote in a statement. “The faith and support that Mr. Plattner, Mike Grier and the entire staff have shown me throughout the past two seasons is proof that we are building something special here. My teammates and I are ready to take another step toward the ultimate goal of bringing a Stanley Cup to this city and its incredible fans. I can’t wait to get going.”In only his age-19 season, Celebrini nearly carried San Jose to the Stanley Cup playoffs almost single-handedly; his 45 goals led his team by 21 (Will Smith, 24) and his 70 assists the most by 32 (William Eklund, 38). With a point on 46.2 percent of the Sharks’ goals, Celebrini set an NHL record for a teenager as San Jose narrowly missed out on the Western Conference’s final-wild-card spot.At $18.8 million AAV, Celebrini’s new contract — which will kick in for the 2027-28 NHL season — ranks as the highest in the league in annual value. Minnesota left winger Kirill Kaprizov’s eight-year deal worth $136 million was the largest contract in NHL history in both total and annual cost.This story originally appeared on NBCSportsBayArea.com.