NHL Network ranks Macklin Celebrini among league’s top centers, vaulting to No. 3

Macklin Celebrini’s second season with the San Jose Sharks is continuing to draw national attention, with NHL Network elevating him to one of hockey’s most valuable forward archetypes. On Sunday, NHL Network named Celebrini the third-best center in the NHL, a significant climb from where he landed in a similar ranking last summer.

The year-to-year change is the central storyline here. Celebrini reportedly improved from 19th place last summer to No. 3 in the current list, a jump that suggests league observers are placing increasing weight on his two-way value, production profile, and overall impact at center.

For a team building around young talent, the center position is often the organizing role for both systems and personnel. Celebrini’s rise in these kinds of league-wide evaluations matters because it aligns with what the Sharks need from their best forwards: reliable play through the middle, the ability to tilt possession and transitions, and performance that forces matchup adjustments.

While rankings are not the same thing as statistics, they can reflect a broader consensus across media and analysts about how a player affects games beyond the box score. The fact that NHL Network’s list places Celebrini among the very top tier of centers positions him as a centerpiece rather than a developing option.

The Sharks context is also important. San Jose’s recent seasons have featured an emphasis on establishing a competitive core, and national recognition can help confirm that their investment in their forward group is landing. Celebrini’s standing as a top-ranked center also changes how opponents may approach line matchups, with more attention devoted to controlling the middle of the ice.

For readers trying to separate perception from results, the appropriate way to watch this story develop is to track how Celebrini’s influence translates into measurable game outcomes over the next stretch. How he performs in key minutes, how often his team sustains pressure when he’s on the ice, and whether his impact shows up in late-game phases are the kinds of details that will either validate or temper the hype around preseason-style rankings.

For now, the most verifiable takeaway is straightforward: NHL Network’s center rankings have Celebrini at No. 3, after a 19th-place ranking last summer, with the Sharks center described as coming off a sophomore season that has kept generating accolades.

If the ranking holds as the season moves along, it could set expectations for Celebrini to be discussed not only as a standout center, but as a driving force in the NHL’s upper tier of playmaking and responsible two-way performance.