Overview
- The Sharks officially named Macklin Celebrini their captain on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, and released a team video of Hall of Famer Joe Thornton presenting him a jersey with a stitched 'C'.
- Celebrini, 20, becomes the youngest captain in franchise history after a 2025-26 season in which he set the team record with 115 points and later agreed to a five-year, $94 million extension.
- The club cited Celebrini's locker-room influence and prior leadership roles, including serving as a Sharks alternate and captaining Team Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Championship.
- San Jose improved by 34 points last season but missed the playoffs by four points, and the organization added veterans and top prospects this offseason to strengthen its defense and depth around Celebrini.
- The captaincy formalizes the Sharks' decision to make Celebrini the franchise center piece and puts new attention on the team's defensive play and goaltending as the key factors for reaching the playoffs.