Canada will face the United States in the men's final on Sunday in a match that in North America is described as the dream final hockey fans have been waiting for twelve years.
When the 19-year-old San Jose forward was selected for the Olympic team, many nodded in approval that Canada dared to invest in such a young super talent - the youngest on a Canadian Olympic team in history.
But few would have thought that Macklin Celebrini would have such a big role for the gold favorites.
He has a place in the first line with Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, who has occasionally been replaced by Tom Wilson.
McDavid: “Outstanding”
Celebrini is second in the Olympic scoring race with 5 goals and 10 points. A record for a teenager. McDavid leads the scoring with 13 points (2+11).
"He's an outstanding young player. Not just because he's so good with the puck, but because of all the little things he does and the hard work. He's good at the rim, he wins games, he plays hard. An impressive guy," McDavid said earlier during the Olympics.
The San Jose forward, drafted first overall in 2024, was asked if watching his Olympic teammates on television while growing up helped him.
"Seeing them and playing with them is a little different. It's about understanding each other and getting chemistry on the ice," Celebrini said; he played with McDavid until MacKinnon's late winning goal in the semifinal against Finland.
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A game where Celebrini had the most ice time of anyone on the Canadian team with 25 minutes and 53 seconds.
Bond forged in Stockholm
An important part of the relationships and chemistry between the superstars was forged during the World Cup in Stockholm this spring, where Celebrini, MacKinnon and team captain Sidney Crosby were present.
Canada was surprisingly eliminated by Denmark in the quarterfinals - but the bond was forged ahead of the Olympics.
This summer, the 19-year-old was invited to the summer camp that Crosby and MacKinnon, among others, usually hold in Nova Scotia.
"They're two of the best players in the world. 'Sid' is one of the greatest of all time and Nathan is on his way there. Being around them both at the World Cup and this summer, there's nothing you can't absorb in terms of the little details they do and how they prepare for every day. They just love it," Celebrini told nhl.com.
Crosby has not played since he suffered a concussion in the quarter-final against the Czech Republic. There are question marks over his participation in the final. Celebrini said the victory against Finland was for Crosby:
"Everyone on the team looks up to him. It was nice to do this for him, and hopefully he'll be back in the final."
Goran Sundberg/TT
Facts: Recent Olympic finals
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2022: Finland–ROC (Russian Olympic Committee) 2–1.
2018: OAR (Olympic Active from Russia)–Germany 4–3 after extra time.
2014: Canada–Sweden 3–0.
2010: Canada–USA 3–2 after overtime.
2006: Sweden–Finland 3–2.
