How Celebrini and Smith’s Off-Ice Friendship Could Fuel Their On-Ice Chemistry

Written by Gina Anton

Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith didn't exactly start out as friends.

The two San Jose Sharks forwards were college rivals before landing in San Jose, where rookie camp in 2024 gave them their first real opportunity to get to know each other as teammates.

What started as a rivalry at the college level eventually turned into a friendship. Now, two years into their NHL careers, Celebrini and Smith are taking that friendship off the ice and will be roommates for the 2026-27 season.

For Celebrini, the move marks a change from his first two NHL seasons. Since being drafted first overall in 2024, he had lived with Sharks legend and development coach Joe Thornton and his family. Smith, meanwhile, spent his first two seasons in San Jose living with former Sharks captain Patrick Marleau.

Now, the two young forwards will share a house as they continue to establish themselves as important pieces of the Sharks' future.

The move itself is interesting, but the history between the two makes it more meaningful.

Celebrini and Smith already know each other well from their time together in San Jose. They have gone through rookie camp, their first NHL seasons and the growing pains that come with being young players on a rebuilding team.

That familiarity has also started to show on the ice.

On March 10 against the Buffalo Sabres, Smith found Celebrini in the slot with a quick pass, allowing Celebrini to finish the play with a backhand.

It was a simple play, but an effective one. Smith recognized where Celebrini was going to be and got the puck to him quickly.

Those reads are part of what makes an effective hockey partnership. The more comfortable two players become with each other's tendencies, the easier it can become to anticipate what is coming next.

Living together will not automatically create that chemistry. But it gives Celebrini and Smith even more time around one another away from the rink, where they can continue developing the familiarity that has already been building since they became teammates.

That could become especially important as the Sharks continue to build around their young core.

Celebrini has already committed his future to San Jose, signing a five-year, $94 million contract extension in July. Smith, 21, is eligible for a contract extension this summer, making his future with the Sharks another important piece of the team's long-term plans.

Celebrini has made it clear that he hopes Smith remains part of those plans.

“Everyone in our room hopes he's here for a long time,” Celebrini said. “That's not really my business. I think that's something they've got to sort out, but I'm hoping it gets done.”

For the Sharks, the hope is that Celebrini and Smith can become more than two talented young forwards on the same roster. Their development could eventually shape the identity of the franchise.

Their friendship won't determine what happens on the ice, but it gives them another foundation to build from. They have already shown they can find each other in key moments, and now, living together, they will have even more time to build the familiarity that can make those plays come naturally.

If the Sharks are going to take the next step, Celebrini and Smith will likely be a big part of it. And for San Jose, seeing how that chemistry continues to develop could be one of the more important storylines of the season.