Macklin Celebrini Makes History as NHL 27 Cover Athlete
On Tuesday EA Sports announced Macklin Celebrini as the cover athlete for NHL 27. The 20-year-old achieves another milestone, becoming the youngest player to don the cover of the game.
The detailed unveiling came in the reveal trailer for the latest edition of "Chel," on Thursday.
The game's 37th edition will launch worldwide on September 11, 2026 and will be available on the platforms Play Station 5, Xbox Series X, and Series S.
Historical Hockey Covers
Before Celebrini's selection, then 21-year-old Trevor Zegras held the distinction of being the youngest player to grace the cover, appearing on NHL 23.
In recent years, EA Sports has used its cover athletes to feature stories beyond a single player. NHL 25's cover featured Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes, while the deluxe edition paired Hughes with brothers Jack and Luke. The following year, NHL 26 showcased Matthew Tkachuk with the Florida Panthers, with the deluxe edition expanding the legacy spotlight to include brother Brady and father Keith.
The cover prompted discussion on Shark City's recent podcast, speculating whether a potential deluxe edition might feature (and announce) Celebrini's captaincy.
Since Logan Couture's retirement, the team has operated with a rotational leadership unit, and no one-captain. Last year, Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky announced the team's alternate captains at the very start of the season.
The leadership unit was distributed between Tyler Toffoli, Alexander Wennberg, Barclay Goodrow, Mario Ferraro, and Macklin Celebrini. Ferraro has since departed the team, signing a three-year deal with the Winnipeg Jets on July 1.
While Team Teal has yet to announce a captain, naming Celebrini to the role would not make him the youngest in NHL history, despite his many career firsts.
The 115-point forward's cover appearance adds to the Sharks' history in hockey video games, as the last time a teal player appeared on a cover was Joe Thornton, on 2k's NHL 2k7. The forward was 27 at the time and had just come off a campaign winning the Hart Memorial Trophy and logging 125 points for the 2005-06 season.
For the EA Sports installment, Owen Nolan appeared on the cover of NHL 2001 during his tenure as San Jose's captain, a role he held from the 1998-99 season through 2002-03.
Before Celebrini's announcement as cover athlete, EA Sports revealed several major additions to NHL 27, including the long-awaited return of Connected Franchise mode, a rebuilt arena atmosphere experience for all 32 NHL teams. Features also include team-specific playbooks (like the Los Angeles Kings' heavy net-front presence) and a new broadcast commentary team in John Buccigross and Darren Pang.
What Other Firsts Are in Store?
Celebrini's historic sophomore season with the Sharks all but cemented his status as one of the NHL's most elite. Following his strong rookie year of 63 points, he broke Jumbo Joe's decades old franchise record of 114 points, with 115 points (45 goals, 70 assists) in 82 games for 2025-26.
At 19 years old, he broke into the elite teenage 100-point club, becoming only the sixth teenager in NHL history to record 100 points in one season. His name joined the ranks of Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby, Mario Lemieux, Dale Hawerchuk, and Jimmy Carson.
His prominent scoring helped the Sharks improve their finishing record to 39-35-8. Outside of the franchise, Celebrini also earned a finalist nomination for the Ted Lindsay Award and finished fourth in voting for the Hart MVP.
Internationally, Celebrini represented Team Canada at the Winter Olympics, leading the tourney with five goals and coming away from the competition with a silver medal. He went on to captain Canada at the IIHF World Championship, earning 14 points and being named IIHF Player of the Year.
Based on his historic trajectory, one might wonder what other firsts he could achieve in the future. While he may not hold the NHL record for youngest captain (if named), he would hold a Sharks' record.
From becoming the No. 1 overall pick to earning a cover on NHL 27, Celebrini has continued to check off major milestones in his young career. More than an accolade, this cover proves that the Sharks franchise has found the face of its next era. Flanked by the likes of Will Smith, Sam Dickinson, and Colin Graf, Celebrini leads the wave as "The Future is Teal" becomes not only a motto but a statement.
