Celebrini’s Olympic Run Brings Warriors, Sharks and Bay Area Together Ahead of Gold Medal Match
Macklin Celebrini has become the focal point of a cross-sport Bay Area story as Team Canada prepares to face Team USA for Olympic gold in Italy. celebrini’s rise has pulled the Golden State Warriors into early-morning watch parties, energized the San Jose Sharks’ marketing strategy, and sent fans and teammates into a proud, divided rooting interest ahead of the medal game.
Why Celebrini has Warriors watching early-morning film sessions
As the Warriors prepared for a regular Friday morning film session, many players and coaches were distracted by a tight Olympic game in Italy. With the score 2-2 late, the team paused its planned work and had roughly half the roster watching the final two minutes instead of starting film. Coach Steve Kerr said the group couldn’t take its eyes off the action about 6, 000 miles away from Chase Center.
That level of attention is personal: Celebrini’s father, Rick, is the Warriors’ vice president of player health and performance and has been with the organization since 2018. Rick had stayed in Los Angeles for a couple of extra days after a recent road trip to be present for Jimmy Butler’s ACL surgery, then flew to Milan to join his family and cheer for his son. Kerr described the pride visible in Rick’s voice and eyes, calling it "wonderful. "
Warriors voices: from Gary Payton II to Moses Moody
Gary Payton II urged Bay Area fans to tune in, looking into the camera after practice and telling viewers, "Go watch Mack, alright?" He urged people to "wake up in the Bay" for a 5 a. m. PST Olympic gold-medal puck drop in Italy, predicting that early-watchers would witness one of the sport’s all-time greats.
Swingman Moses Moody recalled rehabbing injuries under Rick Celebrini’s care and offered a personal take: Macklin carries a "silent confidence, " doesn’t overdo it, and comes across as a thinker more than a talker. Moody also singled out Macklin’s youngest brother, RJ, calling him an up-and-coming teenage hockey player with composure and a competitive edge, and quipped he wanted Rick to come back in a good mood.
Steve Kerr’s comparison and what it means for the organization
Kerr, who acknowledged limited hockey knowledge, emphasized Celebrini’s steadiness and maturity. He noted a rare combination of talent and leadership, maturity and humanity, saying "he gets it at 19, " and suggested early signs of the player remind him in some ways of Stephen Curry. The coach and others in the organization who have known the family for years have watched Celebrini’s development from childhood pickup games to the Olympic stage.
How Celebrini’s Olympic breakout is fueling a Sharks boom
Sharks executives and Bay Area media voices are connecting Celebrini’s Olympic success directly to franchise momentum. The San Jose team’s chief marketing officer, Doug Bentz, described the athletic spectacle as drawing people in and called Celebrini a must-watch. One local host said he loves America but expects Celebrini to change the Bay Area and be the "Steph Curry of hockey, " and pledged his personal rooting interest for the Canadian star.
The franchise is seeing measurable commercial and cultural effects: Celebrini’s fame has spiked since arriving in Milan two weeks ago, with his social following jumping 40% and his player profile becoming the most visited during the Olympic break on a major league website. The Sharks’ strategy to grow beyond the Bay Area — a crowded sports market and a non-traditional hockey region — is being reinforced by Celebrini’s global visibility.
On-ice credentials: youth, stats and Olympic performance
The 19-year-old from Vancouver was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and is the youngest NHL player at these Olympics and the youngest-ever member of a Team Canada Olympic roster. His timeline includes leaving the Bay Area to spend one season at Boston University at age 17, followed by a stellar rookie NHL season and an even stronger second campaign.
Stat lines in the current season show 81 points (28 goals, 53 assists) in 55 games, and he has been in Hart Trophy conversation while the Sharks sit at 27-24-4. In five Olympic appearances so far, he has totaled 10 points and has been playing alongside elite names on a deep Canadian roster. In a dramatic semifinal come-from-behind win, Celebrini led Canada in ice time with nearly 26 minutes, registered a team-high eight shots on goal, and assisted on a game-winning goal by a teammate.
Commercial lift and the local sports landscape
Celebrini’s rookie season coincided with the Sharks finishing at the bottom of the Western Conference but still setting a franchise record for single-game ticket sales. This season, with his 81 points ranking fourth among league scorers, the team expects to surpass that earlier ticket-sales mark by nearly $3 million. Historically, the Sharks’ social engagement dipped 30 to 40% during scheduled international breaks; this year, with NHL players at the Olympics and Celebrini on Canada’s top line, engagement trends have shifted markedly.
Photograph credit: Kelley L Cox / Imagn Images
Recent updates indicate the gold-medal matchup will be watched closely by both hockey fans and the Bay Area sports community; details may evolve as the game unfolds.
