After Macklin Celebrini’s breakout season, is it Will Smith’s turn next?
You won’t find many bigger statistical disparities between top two scorers in the NHL than what the San Jose Sharks boasted last year.
Macklin Celebrini firmly established himself as one of the best players in the world, registering 45 goals and 115 points. It was enough to keep him engaged in Hart Trophy conversations – and, eventually, become one of the highest-paid players in the NHL.
With a 56-point gap over second in Sharks scoring, it truly felt like Celebrini was on his own planet. But don’t expect that again in 2026-27.
Celebrini’s good friend and WillMack buddy, Will Smith, finished second in team scoring with 59 points in 69 games, with an 82-game pace of 70. Smith avoided the dreaded sophomore slump while also helping the Sharks become a seriously dangerous squad for the first time in more than half a decade.
Now, it’s time for his own breakout.
The Lexington, Mass., native will often be overshadowed by his high-profile center teammate. But Smith is no stranger to the spotlight, especially after going fourth overall in 2023. Smith had a whopping 127 points in 60 games with the U.S. U-18 team in 2022-23, and he had one of the most impressive U-18 World Championship performances of all time with 20 points in seven games. He followed that up with one of the best freshman college seasons in recent memory, registering 71 points in 41 games at Boston College.
Throughout that dominant amateur run, Smith was the glue that kept things going between himself, Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard. So when Smith graduated to the NHL, and no longer had his buddies by his side, he took solace in playing beside Celebrini, who was breaking into the NHL at the same time and understood what it was like being one of the top prospects in hockey.
It was only a matter of time until Smith hit the ground running with San Jose. While Celebrini received all the praise (and rightfully so), Smith still started the season red-hot with 20 points in 21 games. He tapered off a bit in the middle of the season but still had impressive third- and fourth-quarter splits with 16 points in 18 games in Q3 and 15 over his final 19, according to Dobber Sports’ Frozen Pool tool. When it was all said and done, Smith finished fifth in U-21 scoring and would have likely finished third had he remained healthy thanks to his 70-point pace over 82 games.
The majority of Smith’s goals last year came in high-danger areas – essentially, right around the crease. He does an excellent job of skating around the net at speed, evading defenders and either getting the puck to someone in the slot or firing/receiving feeds on his own. This is the sign of a high-IQ goal-scorer – and with 0.99 primary assists per 60 at 5-on-5, he was one of the game’s best young passers, too. Only Celebrini and Connor Bedard outpaced him among U-23 players.
Smith was tasked with heavy minutes as a youngster, and he handled it well. He posted a 49.1% Corsi For percentage at even strength, meaning he controlled nearly half the shot attempts while on the ice despite playing some tough matchups on a non-playoff team. It’s one thing to boast numbers like that in favorable matchups, but he was almost always going up against an opponent’s toughest defensive unit, given who centered the top line. Smith’s 12.51 relative goals for percentage at 5-on-5 is 12th in the NHL over the past two years (Celebrini is 29th with a 10.25 – still fantastic). With San Jose’s -41 goal differential, Smith clearly proved he could drive play.
Detractors will point to Celebrini’s truly elite game as playing a huge factor here. But it’s no secret they’ve got the chemistry needed to thrive. They live together and are best friends, and that has translated into on-ice success. For what it’s worth, Smith’s 5-on-5 Corsi-for percentage without Celebrini (44.71) is actually better than Celebrini’s without Smith (44.55). Not a huge difference, but with a 49.19 CF percent together (again, against quality competition), there’s no reason to split them up any time soon.
“Smart players thrive with other smart players,” one scout told Daily Faceoff. “Celebrini is one of the game’s most elite thinkers, and Smith is high-end in his own right. Not just anyone can thrive with high-end players; you need the right fit, and Smith meets the job criteria.”
What do all those numbers mean? In plain English: he’s been damn good for his age. And he’s the perfect fit alongside No. 71. If advanced analytics aren’t your thing, here’s an even easier concept: natural progression. Smith played at a full-season pace of 50 points as a rookie and 70 as a sophomore. Could 80 points be in the cards for one of the game’s most promising offensive-minded forwards? With the Sharks looking like a more dangerous outfit for 2026-27, it feels entirely plausible.
Defensively, there’s no question Smith needs to improve – but that’s common for a young NHLer. Not everyone is an absolute two-way beast like Celebrini. Most high-end NHLers don’t figure out the defensive side of the game until they’re three to five years into their careers – it’s tough trying to contain guys like Connor McDavid and Cutter Gauthier in the Pacific. Smith also has a reputation of giving the puck away quite a bit, but many of the NHL’s top giveaway leaders are NHL superstars like Nathan MacKinnon, David Pastrnak and, yes, Celebrini. Star players handle the puck significantly more than those who don’t, which is why this tends to be the case. Smith isn’t in the same echelon as those guys, but when you have the puck as much as San Jose’s top line does (relative to the rest of the lineup), it’ll happen.
While Smith and Tim Stützle are not comparable players, the Sharks should absolutely hope to get a repeat of what the German forward was able to do in his third year with the Ottawa Senators. After registering 58 points in 79 games in 2021-22, Stützle exploded for 39 goals and 90 points, establishing himself as one of the best forwards in the Atlantic Division. Detroit’s Lucas Raymond had a 27-point improvement when he put up 72 points in 2023-24, while Brayden Point had 66 in 2017-18 before tallying 92 points in 2018-19 – a 26-point improvement with the Tampa Bay Lightning. If Smith could channel any of the three, the Sharks would be golden.
Many expected Smith to sign a long-term extension with the Sharks this summer while eight-year deals were still possible. It never happened, though. It can be risky for a young player to enter an important year without a new deal, but with the rising salaries, who knows how much he’ll take home if he cracks the 80-point threshold? Celebrini is set to make $18.8 million per year on a five-year deal – could Smith end up somewhere in the $15-16M range? More?
Smith is a high-end chance generator who, according to some scouts, needs to carry the puck into the zone more frequently. That’s something that’ll come with experience, and something he improved on as the year wore on in 2025-26. With some improved speed and more muscle, Smith could end up becoming a truly unstoppable force.
The Sharks don’t need him to mirror Celebrini – it’s better that Smith he doesn’t. But don’t undervalue a player who, at every level, has continuously showed how smart and skilled he is.
DAILY FACEOFF NEWSLETTER
Recently by Steven Ellis
- Top NHL 2026-27 bounce-back candidates after suffering sophomore slumps
- Notable players on PTO deals fighting for jobs during 2026-27 NHL preseason
- Four rookie NHL goaltenders to watch in 2026-27
- Top goalie battles to watch during 2026-27 NHL preseason
- 2026-27 NHL team preview: Montreal Canadiens
- Which 2026 draft picks could start the season in the NHL?