The San Jose Sharks knew they could rely on Macklin Celebrini to get the job done.
After all, whenever Celebrini takes on the Montreal Canadiens, he seems to deliver — and he’s actually doing so at a historic rate.
He capped yet another dominant night against the Habs in style on Tuesday, scoring the overtime game-winning goal.
With that goal came not just an impressive Sharks win in a battle of two of the league’s most promising young teams.
Celebrini also made two bits of history on Tuesday night.
Macklin Celebrini vs. Canadiens
The first bit of history has to do with Celebrini dominating the Canadiens.
Prior to Celebrini, there had been just one player in NHL history with at least 11 points in his first five career games against Montreal. That was Frank Nighbor for the Ottawa Senators between 1918 and 1919.
Celebrini is now the second, according to Sportsnet:
Macklin Celebrini
2nd player in NHL history with 11 points in his first 5 career games vs the Canadiens
Joins Frank Nighbor (Senators) from 1918-1919
#TurnitAllTeal
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) October 21, 2026
Nighbor, for those unfamiliar, is a Hall of Fame center who won three Stanley Cups.
Back in those days they played a lot fewer games, but Nighbor began has career with four consecutive seasons with more than a point per game.
He led the league in assists three times, as well, and he played all but his final season in Ottawa before a closing stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For Celebrini to have done something that hasn’t happened in more than 100 years is an incredible feat — and it also shows the Canadiens that they’re probably lucky that Celebrini is in the other conference.
Macklin Celebrini OT Goals
Celebrini has now scored four overtime goals to win games in the NHL.
That makes him the third player, per Sportsnet, to score four such goals before turning 21.
The first two were Sean Monahan and Ilya Kovalchuk.
Celebrini clearly has a clutch gene:
Players with 4 career OT goals prior to turning 21
Macklin Celebrini
Sean Monahan
Ilya Kovalchuk#TurnItAllTeal https://t.co/UC2JoNqOnM
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) October 21, 2026
Celebrini scored 20 in June, so he’ll play this entire season at that age. That will give him plenty of time to keep scoring pre-21 OT game winners.
The Sharks will take his goals at any point in time, of course. Celebrini is the best young player in the world and on the rise toward being just the best player, period.
San Jose has started to do a good job of surrounding him with talent, but in many ways, Celebrini’s ceiling is the ceiling of the Sharks — and he continues to rise up.
Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini Makes History vs. Canadiens Not Done Since 1919