Max Miller
San Jose Sharks players Macklin Celebrini and Sam Dickinson won’t be coming home with a medal from the 2026 IIHF World Championship.
After Team Canada lost 4-2 to Team Finland in Saturday’s semi-final, Canada played Team Norway in the bronze medal match on Sunday. While down 2-0 late in the third period, St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas would save the day for Canada. The centerman would score twice in 52 seconds, both with under two minutes remaining in the game.
Celebrini would earn an assist on Thomas’ second goal, which came with 7.6 seconds remaining in the game.
Norway would shock Canada and the hockey world for its first international Ice Hockey medal with an overtime winning goal from Noah Steen. Celebrini was on the ice during the goal and was gassed after a long shift.
Celebrini would finish the tournament with six goals and eight assists to lead Canada. The San Jose Sharks superstar was disappointed not to walk away with a medal. During his postgame interview with the IIHF, Celebrini said he knew that his team had more to give.
“Probably one of the biggest honors I’ve had so far. To do it with these guys and this group, it was an unbelievable experience,” Celebrini said about being the captain. “But as I said, it was really sour how it ended. Just because of what we had and the way we played and what we were capable of.”
Dickinson was the second and only other Sharks player to play at Worlds in 2026. The 19-year-old d-man was an extra for the majority of the tournament, but entered the Canadian lineup after Team USA’s Ryan Lindgren knocked out Evan Bouchard in the quarter finals.
During IIHF games, teams can dress 20 skaters. This allowed the San Jose Sharks defenseman to get into Canada’s lineup as the No. 7 d-man. He faired well in his two games, showcasing his elite skating and puck-moving ability that made him the 11th overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft. Although he didn’t record a point, he was not left to sit on the bench.
The Sharks defenseman played 13:31 against Norway and 12:19 against Finland. Although neither Sharks player will come home with a medal, they gained more valuable experience about what it takes to win at any level.
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