July 29 (Reuters) - The San Jose Sharks on Wednesday signed Canadian forward Macklin Celebrini to a five-year, $94 million contract extension that will make him the highest-paid NHL player.
The deal carries an $18.8 million average annual value and will keep the 20-year-old centre in San Jose through the 2031-32 season.
The North Vancouver native was selected first by the Sharks in the 2024 NHL Draft and has established himself as one of the league's top young talents, setting San Jose's franchise
scoring record last season with 115 points.
Earlier this year he won a silver medal with Canada at the Milano Cortina Olympics, where he became the youngest Canadian NHL player to feature at the tournament. He also led the Olympics with five goals.
“I couldn’t be happier to sign an extension today,” Celebrini said in a statement, also thanking Sharks owner Hasso Plattner and general manager Mike Grier.
"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.”
Last season Celebrini joined Canadian great Wayne Gretzky as the only players under 20 years old to achieve a 40-plus goal, 70-plus assist season.
His point total was the third-best among teens in a single season in league history, trailing only Sidney Crosby and Gretzky, and he also joined the pair as the only three teens in league history to finish in the top five of a season’s scoring rankings.
“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,” Grier said in a statement.
“We are extremely excited to have him secured and committed as the centerpiece of a core of talented players in San Jose."
(Reporting by Nicole Fernandes in Toronto, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
