So, for that matter, have the relationships he’s been able to forge with Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, two of the six players already named to the Team Canada roster in June.
Celebrini had the chance to play on the same team with Crosby and MacKinnon while representing Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championship in May. He said it was an experience that helped his development both on and off the ice.
“I mean, that was awesome,” he said. “They were so great to me. Just being around them, two legends, two (future) Hall of Famers, seeing how they carry themselves, how they approach every day.
“They were two guys I looked up to growing up, so it was pretty cool.”
Celebrini, who finished the tournament with six points (three goals, three assists) in eight games and was an impressive plus-9, then traveled to Nova Scotia to skate with MacKinnon and Crosby a couple of months later.
“It was great,” he said, adding that Sharks teammate Will Smith and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Adam Fantilli also took part. “Just skating. They were great skates.”
In the end, Crosby was impressed by what he saw from the teenager.
“He’s a guy that has a real passion for it,” Crosby said last month. “He works probably as hard as anybody and, probably, with his age, I think fast-tracking the learning curve for him. So, you could see right from last year how he got better as the season went on.
“At Worlds, it was pretty clear to see [him] almost taking another step there. This year, with the way he’s starting, seems to be the same, so I think he’s definitely somebody that’s earned a lot of attention for good reason. And, you know, we’ll see.
“But he’s definitely playing some great hockey now.”
