Sharks vs Oilers: From Olympic Teammates to Playoff Rivals
What a twist of fate! Just months after representing Canada together at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Macklin Celebrini and Connor McDavid are now locked in a fierce battle – not for gold, but for a coveted spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The San Jose Sharks and the Edmonton Oilers are set to clash at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET, SNW, NBCSCA), a game with significant playoff implications.
“This is fun,” Celebrini said. “This is our first time through it and a lot of us are excited to be in this spot and go through it for the first time. We’re grateful, but want to keep pushing here.”
A Tight Race for the Playoffs
The Sharks (32-27-6) are just one point behind the Seattle Kraken and Los Angeles Kings for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, and only five points behind the Oilers (33-26-9) for third in the Pacific Division. San Jose hasn’t seen playoff hockey since 2019, and Celebrini, at just 19 years old, is leading the charge for a young, rebuilding team. He currently ranks fifth in the NHL with an impressive 95 points (35 goals, 60 assists) in 65 games.
“I don’t think anyone thought we would be in this spot,” Celebrini admitted. “We kind of believed it all year we had the guys in the room to do it, and we just need to keep it going. We’re really close and we’ve played some good hockey over the last little stretch but have to limit those games like Ottawa (7-4 loss at the Senators on Sunday) and Buffalo (6-3 loss at the Sabres on Tuesday).”
Olympic Memories and Mutual Respect
Celebrini and McDavid shared a memorable experience on Canada’s top line during the Olympics, where they forged a strong connection. Though Canada ultimately fell short, losing 2-1 in overtime to the United States in the gold medal game, the experience left a lasting impression.
“It’s super cool, I got to play on his line, and you have to get to know your linemates pretty well,” Celebrini shared. “I got to know him really well over the short stint in Milan and playing with each other and talking with each other, we got pretty close. I think he’s a great person, you don’t see that on TV or watching him play. Everyone knows the kind of player he is, but he’s awesome to be around, fun to talk with and have conversation with.”
McDavid echoed the sentiment, saying, “He’s a great player and when you get to know him, he’s a great kid and he just does everything right. I really, really enjoyed my time playing with him and getting to know him.”
Challenges and Opportunities Ahead
The Sharks are 5-3-2 since the Olympic break. However, the Oilers recently announced that star forward Leon Draisaitl is expected to miss the rest of the regular season with a lower-body injury. San Jose also has three games in hand on Edmonton.
“A lot of teams are in the mix,” Celebrini noted. “I think a lot of the standings is up for grabs. We play a lot of division opponents coming up here and all of these games are important. They’re all going to be important to win and get points in.”
A Shift in Mindset for the Sharks
San Jose is experiencing a significant transformation, moving from a rebuilding phase to a team with playoff aspirations. Coach Ryan Warsofsky believes the biggest change has been the team’s mindset.
“That’s probably the biggest thing we transitioned in our season,” Warsofsky said. “We’ve gone from having a chance to now going into games with the expectation to win them and to also carry the play and carry the momentum for longer stretches. I think we’ve done a really good job of that since the beginning of the year and it’s probably where we have grown the most.”
The journey has been invaluable for the young Sharks roster, and they hope Celebrini’s continued development will propel them towards becoming a Stanley Cup contender. Last season, the Sharks finished last in the NHL, a stark contrast to their current position.
“This is super-exciting, it’s definitely different than last year when we were kind of out of the race at this point,” forward Will Smith said. “So being able to be in it, it’s a lot more fun. It’s definitely growing every year. This only my second year and being able to be in this type of playoff race is definitely a big step from last year.”
Learn more about the NHL standings and playoff race at NHL.com.
