A sophomore surge reshapes the center rankings
Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks has vaulted to third place in the NHL Network’s annual assessment of the league’s top centers, a meteoric rise from 19th a year earlier.
His 115 points this season place him behind only Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, the two players who have already collected multiple Hart, Rocket Richard and Art Ross trophies.
Celebrini’s climb also pushed veteran stars such as Aleksander Barkov, Sidney Crosby and Auston Matthews out of the top three, underscoring the shift toward a younger generation.
A new wave of talent
The list highlights a fresh crop of NHL centers, including Matthew Schaefer and Connor Bedard, who are emerging alongside Celebrini as the league’s next wave of offensive leaders.
Among all players evaluated, only Celebrini represents the San Jose Sharks, making his inclusion a solitary bright spot for the franchise.