Born on June 13, 2006 in North Vancouver, Macklin Celebrini was still only 19 years old when the 2025-26 National Hockey League season wrapped up. The former Boston University center notched 115 points during his second season in the league. It was the third most by a teenager in league history, trailing only Wayne Gretzky’s 137 (51 goals, 86 assists) during the 1979-80 season with the Edmonton Oilers, and Sidney Crosby’s 120 points in 2006-07 for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He’s obviously in elite company, but that’s nothing new. As a freshman, Celebrini was the youngest player to win the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s most outstanding player. But in addition to setting the single-season record, with 45 goals and 70 assists in 82 games, for the San Jose Sharks, he led all former college players for the 2025-26 season.
How close was he to the record?
Adam Oates out of RPI, netted 142 points with the Boston Bruins during the 1992-93 season. He had 45 goals and 97 assists in 84 games, which is 24th on the all-time list (which is a little misleading because Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux combined account for the top 13 seasons). Second on the list is Oates’ former linemate with the St. Louis Blues, Brett Hull out of Minnesota Duluth, with 131 in 1990-91.
Oats was 31 when he had his best statistical season. Hull was 26 when he captured his only Hart Trophy as league MVP.
Here are the statistical leaders among former college players in the NHL this season:
Skaters
• Points: Maklin Celebrini , Sharks (Boston University), 115
• Goals: Cole Caufield, Canadiens (Wisconsin) 51
• Assists: : Maklin Celebrini , Sharks (Boston University), 70
Defensemen
• Points: Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets (Michigan), 81
• Goals: Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets (Michigan), 22
• Assists:: Quinn Hughes, Wild/Canucks (Michigan), 69
Rookies
• Points: Jimmy Snuggerud, Blues (Minnesota), 51
• Goals: Jimmy Snuggerud, Blues (Minnesota), 21
• Assists: Jimmy Snuggerud, Blues (Minnesota), 30
Goaltenders
• GAA: Casey DeSmith, Stars (New Hampshire) 2.43
• Save percentage: Devin Cooley, Flames (Denver) .909
• Shutouts: John Gibson, Red Wings (Michigan); Jake Oettinger, Stars (Boston University), 4
Individual Categories: Skaters
Scoring per 60 (5×5): Cole Caufield, Candiens (Wisconsin), 1.82*
Net Penalties: Mackie Samoskevich, Panthers (Michigan); Quinn Hughes, Wild/Canucks (Michigan),16
Shots Per Game: Cutter Gauthier, Ducks (Boston College), 3.75
Time on ice: Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets (Michigan), 33:26
Individual Categories: Goaltenders
Even-Strength Save Percentage: Jeremy Swayman, Bruins (Maine), .923
Goal Support (GFA): Brandon Bussi, Hurricanes (Western Michigan), 3.63
Shots Against Per 60 Minutes: Joseph Woll, Maple Leafs (Boston College), 32.8
Transfer Portal Update
We’re roughly halfway through the 15-day transfer portal time period for players to submit their names. through Sunday, April 19, 310 players had entered the portal, with 158 set with new schools and 152 still available. Of note former Penn State forward JJ Wiebusch is headed to Wisconsin, and former Denver goaltender G Quentin Miller, who was the starter before Johnny Hicks took over, will stay in the NCHC at Western Michigan.
The following are additions (former school):
Alaska: D Grady Gallatin (from Western Michigan); D Lukas Klemm (Mercyhurst); F Joel Lehtinen (Stonehill); F Jack Rogers (St. Cloud State); D Max Rud (Minnesota); G Tryle Sea (Brown)
Alaska Anchorage: F Connor Brown (Western Michigan)
Arizona State: D Rylan Brown (Michigan Tech); F Nic Chin-Degraves (Penn State); G Sam Hillebrandt (Ohio State); D Hunter Hady (Michigan); F Olivier Houde (Lindenwood); F Cade Littler (North Dakota); D Matthew Mayich (Clarkson); F Benjamin Muthersbaugh (Union); D Filip Nordberg (Merrimack); F Daniel Shlaine (Minnesota Duluth)
Augustana: F Jacob Fletcher (Lindenwood); G Mathis Langevin (Miami)
Bemidji State: F Will Dawson (Air Force); F Carter Rapalje (Ferris State)
Bentley: F James Duerr (Massachusetts); Josh Player (New Hampshire)
Boston College: D Teddy Mallgrave (St. Lawrence)
Bowling Green: D Evan Bushy (Lake Superior)
Brown: D Brian Lonergan (Brown); F Griffin Erdman (Brown)
Canisius: F Matthew Campbell (Merrimack); D Reid Conn (New Hampshire); D James Goffredo (RPI); F Cole Gordon (RPI); F Noah Quinn (Bemidji State); F Ethan Wolthers (Sacred Heart)
Clarkson: D Michael Craig (Robert Morris); G Dawson Labre (Ohio State); F Tyler Wallace (RPI)
Colgate: F Braiden Clark (Providence); D Kyle Kim (Boston University); F Like Pakulak (Clarkson); F Elias Zimmerman (Massachusetts)
Colorado College: F Carmelo Crandell (Arizona State)
Connecticut: F Jeremy Loranger (Omaha)
Cornell: G Mathis Rousseau, (Maine); F Ivan Zadvernyuk (Brown)
Dartmouth: D Matthew Desiderio (Brown)
Ferris State: F Zach Bade (Western Michigan); D Luke Cooughlin (Maine); D Colton Jamieson (St. Thomas); F Nathan Mackie (Michigan State); D Owen Mehlenbacher, Massachusetts; F Justin Stupka (Miami); D Autin Zemlak (Arizona State)
Holy Cross: F AJ Lacroix (Massachusetts); F Jack Larrigan (Notre Dame); Ben Riche (Quinnipac);
Lake Superior: D Casper Nässén (Miami); D Charles Pardue (Notre Dame); D Joey Potter (Alaska Anchorage); D Mattero Mann (Colorado College); F Charls Savoie (Lindenwood)
Lindenwood: D Andrew Leblanc (Mercyhurst); D Jacob Leblanc (Mercyhurst); F Will Schumacher (Mercyhurst)
Long Island: F Dalton Andrew (North Dakota); D Conner Brown (Ferris State); FAnthony Calafiore (Maine)
Maine: D Alexander Bales (Providence); F Tanner Klimpke (Robert Morris); F Judah Makway (Alaska Anchorage); F Lee Parks (Mass Lowell); D Chris Romaine (Ohio State); G Petter Wickstrom Stumer (Canisius)
Mass Lowell: D Anthony Dowd (Arizona State); G Cole Moore (Bowling Green)
Massachusetts: F Gavin Cornforth (Boston College)
Miami: F Austin Baker (Michigan State); D David Helledy (Bentley)
Michigan State: F Jimmy Clark (Minnesota); F Cullen Potter (Arizona State); G Quentin Sigurdson (Northeastern)
Michigan Tech: F Giovanni Morneau (Lindenwood); D Luke Shipley (Mass Lowell)
Minnesota: F Austin Burnevik (St. Cloud State); D Finn Loftus (St. Cloud State); D Tanner Hendricks (St. Cloud State); F Christian Humphreys (Michigan); D Evan Murr (Minnesota State); G Melvin Strahl (Michigan State)
Minnesota Duluth: F Barrett Hall (St. Cloud State); F Peyton Platter (Alaska)
Minnesota State: D Sam Court (Arizona State); F Daimon Gardner (St. Cloud State); G Lassi Lehti (Alaska); D Will Skahan (Boston College)
New Hampshire: F Ryan Johnson (Alaska-Anchorage); G Teagan Kendrick (Sacred Heart); G Michael Simpson (Providence); F Rasmus Svartstrom (St. Lawrence); F Nick Van Tassell (Massachusetts); D Malte Vass (Boston University)
Niagara: F Brayden Boehm (Michigan Tech); F Jack Richard (Merrimack); Charles-Edward Gravel (Murcyhurst)
North Dakota: D Brasen Boser (Arizona State); F Gavin Lindberg (Colorado College); F Kasper Magnussen (Bemidji State)
Northeastern: D Joel Kjellberg (Arizona State); F Miguel Marques (Maine); D Alex Pineau (Brown)
Northern Michigan: D Noah Houle (Clarkson)
Notre Dame: F Hagen Burrows (Denver); D Leo Gruba (Minnesota); F David Klee (North Dakota); D Michael Quinn (Miami)
Ohio State: D Sascha Boumedienne (Boston University); F Erik Påhlsson (Minnesota)
Omaha: D Jayden Jubenvill (North Dakota)
Penn State: D Caeden Herrington (Vermont)
Providence: D Cade Christenson (Penn State)
Quinnipiac: G Rorke Applebee (Lake Superior); F Jack Stockfish (Holy Cross); D Andrew Strathmann (North Dakota)
RIT: D Nicholas De Angelis (New Hampshire); D Matthew Mania (Michigan); F Nick Deluso (Maine); F Matthew Wilde (Massachusetts)
RPI: D Simon Motew (Maine); F Brendan Ross (Providence); F Ben Yurchuk (Merrimack)
Robert Morris: D Charlie Kinsman (Vermont); F Charles-Edward Tardif (Sacred Heart); D Gunnar Vandamme (RPI)
Sacred Heart: D Nicholas Bernardo (Long Island); F Diego Buttazzoni (UMass Lowell); F Mirko Buttazzoni (UMass Lowell); F Landen Gunderson (Ohio State); F Devin Phillips (Holy Cross)
St. Cloud State: D William Ahlrik (Lake Superior); D Finn McLaughlin (Minnesota); Jacob Napier (Colgate)
St. Lawrence: Jake Rozzi (Ohio State)
St. Thomas: F Kevin Anderson (Princeton); F Jakub Altrichter (Northern Michigan); D Samuel Groebner (Army); D Justin Kipkie (Arizona State); F Winter Wallace (Cornell)
F Walter Wallace (Cornell)
Union: D Jack Henry (Northeastern)
Vermont: F Cameron Garvey (Robert Morris); D David Jesus (Alaska Anchorage)
Western Michigan: G Quentin Miller (Denver); D Michael Neumeier (Colgate)
Wisconsin: D Dylan Compton (Northeastern); G Alexis Cournoyer (Cornell); F JJ Wiebusch (Penn State)
Puck Drop: Monday, April 20, 2026
• Princeton announced that gift from a group of alumni has led to the endowment of the men’s hockey head coach position in honor of Hobart Amory Hare “Hobey” Baker, the legendary athlete who’s name is on the annual award honoring college hockey’s best player. Ben Syer. the announcement was almost years to the day that Ben Syer took over the head coaching job after serving as Cornell’s men’s hockey associate head coach for 12 seasons.
• Josh Doan of the Buffalo was the first former Sun Devil to compete in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It was Buffalo’s first playoff win in 5,746 days. … Former Minnesota center Logan Cooley scored the first playoffs goal in Utah Mammoth history.
• Roger McQueen (Providence) signed his entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks. It will go into effect for the 2026-27 NHL season.
• Well, it is draft week in the NFL:
The @BuffaloBills O-Line took a ride on the Sabres’ Zamboni 😂 pic.twitter.com/mEYObQ2Oxz
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 20, 2026
State of College Hockey Press Conference
Every year at the Frozen Four a press conference is held with a variety of experts about the state of the game. Here are a few things that were said in Las Vegas last week:
On trying to grow men’s hockey from the current 62 to 75-85: “That’s a good number … “Our sport is one of the few sports where the major blue bloods or the major brands don’t always win our national championship. You can elevate your athletic department, elevate your university, schedule some of the biggest blue bloods in college sports. They’ll be on your schedule, they’ll be in your building. That’s just something that just doesn’t happen in other sports.” — College Hockey Inc. Executive Director Sean Hogan
“You have to understand that the game is expensive, and we have to grow properly.” — Canisius head coach Trevor Large
On how the level of talent is growing with the addition of more CHL players: “I think we’re already seeing the quality of college hockey and the rosters. It doesn’t matter if you’re the first team, No. 1 team in the country or No. 62, your roster is getting better because there’s more quality players available. … Approximately one third-ish of the NHL players came directly from college and I don’t know anyone that doesn’t think that number’s going to grow quickly and maybe as much as two thirds.” — Hockey East Commissioner Steve Metcalf
On using the Frozen Four to promote the game in non-traditional locations like Las Vegas: “I think is a big deal for exposure, particularly for young kids to see it get into their areas. … I think we could have some influence.” — Harvard Senior Assoc. AD for Capital Planning and Facilities Tim Troville
On using technology to help improve the game: “I don’t want robot refs. I don’t want the robot umpire thing, that’s for sure.” — Minnesota State head coach Luke Strand
Countdown to the 2026-27 Season
The expected start date is Oct. 2. Unofficially it’s 165 days.
Hockey Quote of the Day
“I kind of was always the underdog. And I don’t even want to be recognized, I don’t need the fame or any of that, I figure it’s going to come if it comes. I just want to do the best, I want to be the best at what I do. I don’t care if other people think it or not.”
Connor Hellebuyck
We’ll Leave You With This …
Porter Martone (Michigan State) was the first teenager to score a goal in his Stanley Cup Playoff debut since 2019.
This kid is ridiculous. #IgniteTheOrange pic.twitter.com/tcM50ofQ0D
— x – Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) April 19, 2026
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