Canadian Phenom Celebrini Impresses at Olympics, French Player Bellemare Glad to Be Out of NHL

19-year-old Macklin Celebrini's dominant performance has France's Pierre-Eduardo Bellemare relieved to have retired from the NHL.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Macklin Celebrini, a 19-year-old Canadian hockey player, has been making waves at the 2026 Olympics with his impressive performance for Team Canada. Celebrini, who was playing for Boston University just two years ago, has emerged as a top-six forward for the Canadian squad and is currently fourth in the NHL in points. His dominant play has impressed French player Pierre-Eduardo Bellemare, who is glad he no longer has to compete against Celebrini in the NHL.

Why it matters

Celebrini's rapid rise to stardom at the Olympics has showcased the depth of Canadian hockey talent and the country's continued dominance in the sport. His emergence as a top player has also highlighted the challenges faced by smaller hockey nations like France, who struggle to compete with the NHL-caliber talent of hockey powerhouses like Canada.

The details

In Canada's 10-2 victory over France, Celebrini scored two goals, bringing his total to four in the tournament so far. Bellemare, who spent ten seasons in the NHL, including one with Team Canada coach Jon Cooper on the Tampa Bay Lightning, was added to the French national team for the 2026 Olympics due to a lack of deep NHL talent on the roster. Seeing Celebrini's dominant performance made Bellemare glad he no longer has to compete against such a skilled player in the NHL.

  • Canada finished the round-robin portion of the Olympics atop the standings with an undefeated record and a +17 goal differential.
  • Celebrini, who was playing for Boston University just two years ago, is now a top-six forward for Team Canada in the Olympics.

The players

Macklin Celebrini

A 19-year-old Canadian hockey player who has emerged as a top-six forward for Team Canada at the 2026 Olympics, scoring four goals so far in the tournament. Celebrini was playing for Boston University just two years ago and is currently fourth in the NHL in points.

Pierre-Eduardo Bellemare

A French hockey player who spent ten seasons in the NHL, including one with Team Canada coach Jon Cooper on the Tampa Bay Lightning. Bellemare was a bottom-six checking forward who never scored more than ten goals in a season, but was added to the French national team for the 2026 Olympics due to a lack of deep NHL talent on the roster.

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What they’re saying

“He looks absolutely amazing. … I think he's 19 or whatever it is. Goddamn. It's good that I stopped (playing) in the NHL because if this is what it's gonna look like, it's better for me to not be in there anymore.”

— Pierre-Eduardo Bellemare (The Athletic)

What’s next

Canada will receive a bye to the quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of the Czechia vs. Denmark matchup. The Canadian team has yet to face much adversity in the Olympics so far, and Celebrini's addition has helped improve their already potent offense.

The takeaway

Macklin Celebrini's dominant performance at the 2026 Olympics has showcased the depth of Canadian hockey talent and the country's continued dominance in the sport. His rapid rise to stardom has also highlighted the challenges faced by smaller hockey nations like France, who struggle to compete with the NHL-caliber talent of hockey powerhouses like Canada.