NHL Agents Reveal Potential Cost of Macklin Celebrini Contract Extension For SJ Sharks

San Jose Sharks phenom Macklin Celebrini just capped off a season at 19 years old where he broke the franchise’s single-season points record and reached milestones only achieved by all-time greats. That could lead to him breaking some new records with his next contract.

In a poll of NHL agents conducted by The Athletic, Celebrini received the second-most votes for picking who will be the highest-paid player in hockeby by the start of the 2028-29 season.

Related: Why Macklin Celebrini Deserves the Hart Trophy

“Why shouldn’t Celebrini make like 20 million bucks a year? I mean, it’s a lot, but look at that kid. I guess my point with Celebrini is I know it’s not apples to apples because Kaprizov could have become UFA, but if you’re him, why wouldn’t I say, Kaprizov’s getting this, why shouldn’t I make more than Kaprizov?”

NHL agent on Macklin Celebrini potentially getting a $20M/year contract

Another poll asked agents about the future contracts for both Celebrini and fellow No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard. While the Chicago Blackhawks star received plenty of praise, the consensus was that Celebrini is in a “much different tier” than Bedard.

One agent suggested that the eventual extension Celebrini signs with San Jose will land in the $10 to $17 million per season range. If the 19-year-old wants to sign a short-term deal, then it’s more likely to be in the $10-12 million range. If he wants long-term security and to make a longer commitment to the club, then that figure could push to $17-plus million.

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