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The way Team Canada used Macklin Celebrini in Olympic semifinal shows hockey world everything originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
In a game Team Canada couldn't afford to lose, it's most-used player wasn't Connor McDavid, or Nathan MacKinnon, or Cale Makar.
It was the 19-year old Macklin Celebrini.
That might be just the largest example of the way in which the San Jose Sharks' phenom has arrived.
He wasn't even a given to be on the Olympics roster when the NHL season began. By the time picks were made, Celebrini was a sure thing.
And in Friday's 3-2 comeback win over Finland, Celebrini finished with a team-high 25 minutes and 53 seconds of ice time while also firing eight shots on goal.
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For reference, McDavid played 25 minutes and 20 seconds, nearly equaling his young teammate.
Celebrini entered the game leading the Olympics in goals (five), which is still true despite him not slotting in one of his shots.
But his constant pressure was clearly a plus for the Canadian attack.
Celebrini has been called the future best player in the world by his teammates, and Nahtan MacKinnon even wondered aloud if Celebrini already deserves that title.
Certainly, a guy worthy of that title would refuse to leave the ice, and refuse to lose, in a game of Friday's magnitude.
Celebrini has passed all the tests in front of him so far. He's already a superstar.
More Olympics news:
- This U.S. luge star was parodied on SNL
- Mikaela Shiffrin just broke the Olympics
- Czechia's go-ahead goal against Canada had 6 skaters on the ice
- U.S. women's hockey star's brothers go viral at Olympics
- Controversy and cursing with Canada curling
- A dog stole the show at the finish line of cross country skiing
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