Macklin Celebrini, the 19-year-old forward for the San Jose Sharks, has been appointed captain of Team Canada for the 2026 IIHF World Championship, as announced by Hockey Canada on social media. 
The two assistant captains will be 35-year-old forwards Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators and John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Celebrini was selected first overall by San Jose in the 2024 NHL Draft. In his debut season, he played all 82 regular-season games, totaling 115 points (45 goals and 70 assists), setting a Sharks franchise record for points by a rookie and finishing fourth in the league’s scoring race.
The 2026 World Championship is scheduled from May 15 to 31 in Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland. During the group stage, Canada will compete against teams from Czechia, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden.