The comparisons are becoming impossible for Team Canada to ignore. At the 2026 IIHF World Championship, Macklin Celebrini is not just producing offensively — he is already earning the type of leadership praise once reserved for Sidney Crosby.
Speaking on the Wingmen podcast, Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk openly discussed how Hockey Canada appears to be shaping Celebrini into the program’s next defining leader.
“It is really cool to see Celebrini,” Matthew Tkachuk said. “He’s kind of taking that torch as the next captain. I think everybody that remembers Sid when he was young, Sid and Celebrini are very, very much alike.”
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Brady Tkachuk pushed the comparison even further.
“It’s not quite changing of the guard because Sid’s still Sid,” Brady said. “But it’s just like, holy cow, this kid is going to be [Sidney Crosby] 2.0 for the next 20 years. “
Those comments carry weight considering the environment surrounding Team Canada right now. The tournament has become a symbolic crossover moment between generations.
At just 19 years old, Celebrini was named the youngest captain in Canadian senior men’s hockey history. Even after Crosby joined the roster late, Hockey Canada chose to keep the “C” on Celebrini’s jersey.
Why Macklin Celebrini’s leadership stands out?
That decision says more about character than age.
Inside NHL circles, leadership traits are usually identified long before players hit their prime scoring years. Coaches and executives watch for preparation habits, emotional control, practice intensity, and how teammates respond to pressure situations. Celebrini already checks many of those boxes.
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Brady Tkachuk pointed directly at that reputation.
“How great is that for the game of hockey and the NHL? It says a lot about him and his character, about being a young kid, that his peers, coaches, and everybody look at him as a captain. It’s pretty awesome,” Brady said.
The comparison to Crosby also extends beyond personality. Both centers play a detail-heavy game built around puck support, defensive awareness, and relentless competitiveness rather than flashy individualism.
Canada’s future is already taking shape
The timing matters for Team Canada.
Crosby, now 38, remains one of hockey’s premier leaders. His four-assist performance against Denmark reminded everyone why he still drives winning at the international level. But Canada also understands the importance of identifying its next long-term centerpiece early.
Celebrini’s chemistry with Crosby during this tournament has only strengthened that belief. The veteran is still the standard, but Canada increasingly sees Celebrini as the player most capable of carrying that culture forward.
For Hockey Canada, that may be the biggest victory of this tournament so far.
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Coming off a historic 115-point sophomore NHL season with the San Jose Sharks, Celebrini centers Canada’s top offensive unit and has scored 5 points in 3 games so far.
Next, Canada will continue its preliminary round action on Thursday, May 21, against Norway, followed by a matchup against Slovenia on Friday, May 22.
