On Tuesday morning, EA Sports officially announced that Macklin Celebrini will be the global cover athlete for NHL 27, making him the youngest player to ever grace the front of the iconic video game franchise.
The next generation is here. Macklin Celebrini is the youngest NHL cover athlete in history.
— NHL (@NHL) July 14, 2026
Tune in for the #NHL27 Reveal Trailer July 16 at 11 AM ET: https://t.co/jihAWdWaXP pic.twitter.com/C1LkKxBfu2
Celebrini becomes just the second Shark ever to grace the franchise’s cover, which was first released in 1991, the same season the Sharks came into existence. Former San Jose legend Owen Nolan was the cover athlete for NHL 2001.
Celebrini established himself as one of the league’s top offensive weapons. With 45 goals and 70 assists in 82 games, the 20-year-old finished fourth in the NHL with 115 points. Celebrini also made massive waves on the international stage this past winter, helping lead Team Canada to a silver medal at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. In six games, he scored five goals and 10 points, leading all skaters in goals, while finishing second behind McDavid in tournament scoring.
The North Vancouver native was back wearing the maple leaf again in the spring, captaining Canada at the IIHF Men’s World Championship. Though his team failed to medal in Switzerland, Celebrini registered six goals and 14 points in 10 games, finished second in the event in points and tied for third in goals. With that, he was named the 2026 IIHF Male Player of the Year.