Emerging San Jose Sharks star Macklin Celebrini is fast approaching the status of one of the NHL’s highest-paid players by average annual value (AAV). Celebrini, entering his third season, signed a five-year, $94 million contract extension starting in the 2027-28 season, resulting in an AAV of $18.8 million.
The Sharks’ General Manager, Mike Grier, expressed satisfaction with the contract, although Celebrini notably accepted less than the maximum possible offer. According to Sportsnet, NHL rules cap player salaries at 20% of a team’s salary cap, which means Celebrini could have asked for $20.8 million annually. However, he opted for a lower figure to ensure the team’s future competitiveness.
“I want to make sure that with where the (NHL salary) cap was going, that the number made sense for the team first and foremost,” Celebrini stated. “Making sure that everyone can get paid and that we’re in a good spot to build the way we want to build, I felt like we kind of landed on that number.”
Celebrini is committed to keeping more flexibility in the salary cap. His intention is to help the organization remain competitive and develop further. The extra $2 million in cap space could be critical as the Sharks aim to rebound and become a significant player destination again.
Despite missing the playoffs by only a few points last season, the Sharks are positioned for future success with rising talents like Celebrini, Will Smith, William Eklund, and Michael Misa. The Sharks’ journey into the new season begins on September 20 against the Anaheim Ducks, a team currently lacking cap space flexibility, with the regular season kicking off on October 1 at home against the Florida Panthers.
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