Canadian forward Macklin Celebrini, the sophomore phenom whose electric Olympic performance was followed up by captaining his country at the IIHF World Championship, was today awarded the IIHF’s Male Player Of The Year Award.

The 20-year old Celebrini, in his second season with the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, nearly doubled his rookie point output in his breakout season, notching 45 goals and 115 points, third-highest all-time among rookies only behind Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby. But it was his performance at the Milan Olympics that drew the eyeballs of the world to his immense talent, where he scored five goals and ten points in six games en route to Canada’s Silver medal, the first senior medal of surely many to follow with Team Canada.

It was his Olympic credentials that saw him named as unexpected team captain for Canada at May’s World Championship in Switzerland, notching another fourteen points in ten games en route to a Bronze medal game loss. Celebrini was named as a tournament All-Star at both the Olympics and Worlds, also being named as Directorate Best Forward at the Worlds, his second Worlds appearance in both of his senior pro seasons.

Celebrini received 40.8% of the vote to win the trophy, beating out Connor Hellebuyck (18.6%) of the Olympic Gold-medalist United States, Sebastian Aho of Finland (14.3%), and his Team Canada teammate Connor McDavid (12.2%). Remaining votes were split between the trio American Olympic Gold medallists Jack Eichel, Quinn Hughes and Jaccob Slavin.

Photo Credit: Sportsnet – IIHF – HHOF – IOC