San Jose Sharks' Celebrini Returns After Olympic Silver Surge

Macklin Celebrini and Pavel Regenda bring Olympic experience back to the Sharks' playoff push.

Feb. 26, 2026 at 10:34pm

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San Jose Sharks star Macklin Celebrini returns from the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, where he won a silver medal playing for Team Canada. Celebrini and teammate Pavel Regenda, who represented Team Slovakia, are expected to provide a boost to the Sharks' playoff push in the final 27 games of the NHL season.

Why it matters

The Sharks are in a tight race for a playoff spot, sitting just five points out of a postseason berth. Celebrini's standout Olympic performance and the confidence gained by both players could be a key factor in determining whether the Sharks can secure a playoff spot.

The details

Celebrini, 19, was the top scorer in the Olympic tournament, tallying 5 goals and 5 assists in 10 games. Despite the silver medal, he expressed frustration at falling short of gold. Regenda, who played for Team Slovakia, said the Olympic experience gave him confidence that he can compete at the highest level. The Sharks are set to host the Calgary Flames on Thursday, kicking off a crucial six-game homestand that could shape their playoff chances.

  • Celebrini and Regenda returned to the Sharks after the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
  • The Sharks host the Calgary Flames on Thursday, February 27, 2026.

The players

Macklin Celebrini

A 19-year-old forward for the San Jose Sharks who won a silver medal playing for Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Pavel Regenda

A forward for the San Jose Sharks who represented Team Slovakia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, where they finished in fourth place.

Randy Hahn

The television play-by-play broadcaster for the San Jose Sharks.

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What they’re saying

“It sucks. It's a little sour when you look back and we just didn't get the job done.”

— Macklin Celebrini

“Just being around the best of the best, um just trying to, obviously that's my goal and just looking at them and seeing how they approach everything and some of the things they do to make themselves successful. It definitely helped.”

— Macklin Celebrini

“I kind of gained confidence, you know in myself, that I can play in space with guys and there wasn't a big difference between us and them. And it gave me a lot of confidence coming back here and even more motivation and more energy to finish the season strong so we can have some run here.”

— Pavel Regenda

“It's unbelievable that a 19-year-old player elevated himself within 10 days of a tournament to be one of the key players in the entire Olympics. And I think that will help Macklin going forward.”

— Randy Hahn, Sharks' television play-by-play broadcaster

“I believe they've got it in them. From the beginning of the year and especially once they got into November that this was a special Sharks team, a special group. And I think they can do it.”

— Randy Hahn, Sharks' television play-by-play broadcaster

What’s next

The Sharks are set to host the Calgary Flames at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 27, 2026 at the SAP Center, kicking off a crucial six-game homestand that could shape their playoff chances.

The takeaway

Celebrini and Regenda's Olympic experiences have given them a boost of confidence and motivation as the Sharks make a late-season push for the playoffs. Their performances could be the key factor in determining whether the team can secure a postseason berth.