In a historic moment for both the San Jose Sharks and the NHL gaming community, Macklin Celebrini has been named the cover athlete for EA Sports NHL 27. This marks the first time since NHL 2001 that a Sharks player will grace the cover of the popular video game series, highlighting Celebrini’s rapid ascent in the league.
Celebrini, already making waves in his young career, is now etched in history as the youngest NHL cover athlete ever. His selection comes at a time when he is not only a standout player but also a symbol of the Sharks’ promising future. Fans can catch the reveal trailer on July 16 at 11 AM ET, where the excitement around his new role will surely amplify.
Reflecting on his selection, Celebrini expressed his enthusiasm in an interview with ESPN, saying, “I thought it was amazing. I loved it. Fairly simple process: They just sent it to me and I was just like, ‘Yeah, it looks good.’” His excitement is palpable, and it’s clear that this moment is as significant for him as it is for the franchise.
Before Celebrini, the last Sharks player to appear on an EA Sports cover was Owen Nolan, while Joe Thornton remains the last Shark to feature on any video game cover, having graced the cover of 2k Sports’ NHL 2k7 back in October 2006. Celebrini’s achievement resonates deeply as he has already surpassed Thornton’s record for the most points by a Shark in a single season during his sophomore year, setting a high bar for future generations.
Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.
