- May 21, 2026
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The San Jose Sharks locked their franchise player Macklin Celebrini in for the long haul on Wednesday with a five-year, $94 million contract extension that kicks in beginning with the 2027-28 season and currently stands as the largest average annual value in the history of NHL contracts.
But even with the Hart Trophy contender’s negotiation out of the way, general manager Mike Grier has another promising young forward who is slated to be a restricted free agent next summer in Will Smith.
Speaking with reporters, including Curtis Bashelka of Bay Area News Group, Grier expressed a strong hope to get Smith signed to a long-term contract as well.
“[Smith] is definitely someone we’d like to lock up long term as well,” Grier said. “So we’ll see how it goes, but definitely, it’s part of the plan to hopefully get them locked up long term… But if it doesn’t happen, then we’ll be okay, and we’ll figure out as the season goes on and into next summer.”
Smith has one year remaining on his entry-level contract at a cap hit of $950,000, and he is coming off a 2025-26 campaign that saw him post 59 point on 24 goals and 35 assists in 69 games played.
That effort followed an impressive rookie season in which he tallied 45 points in 74 games played.
As an emergent scoring talent in an environment where the salary cap is skyrocketing, Smith is in line for a sizable raise that could see his cap hit on his next contract check in around the $10 million range, perhaps even considerably higher if his production ticks up next season without an extension in place.
Celebrini, Smith and the Sharks will spend the 2026-27 campaign looking to build on a surprising effort last season that saw them go from the last place team in the league the year prior to being in the mix for a Stanley Cup Playoff berth into the spring.
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But even with the Hart Trophy contender’s negotiation out of the way, general manager Mike Grier has another promising young forward who is slated to be a restricted free agent next summer in Will Smith.
Speaking with reporters, including Curtis Bashelka of Bay Area News Group, Grier expressed a strong hope to get Smith signed to a long-term contract as well.
“[Smith] is definitely someone we’d like to lock up long term as well,” Grier said. “So we’ll see how it goes, but definitely, it’s part of the plan to hopefully get them locked up long term… But if it doesn’t happen, then we’ll be okay, and we’ll figure out as the season goes on and into next summer.”
Smith has one year remaining on his entry-level contract at a cap hit of $950,000, and he is coming off a 2025-26 campaign that saw him post 59 point on 24 goals and 35 assists in 69 games played.
That effort followed an impressive rookie season in which he tallied 45 points in 74 games played.
As an emergent scoring talent in an environment where the salary cap is skyrocketing, Smith is in line for a sizable raise that could see his cap hit on his next contract check in around the $10 million range, perhaps even considerably higher if his production ticks up next season without an extension in place.
Celebrini, Smith and the Sharks will spend the 2026-27 campaign looking to build on a surprising effort last season that saw them go from the last place team in the league the year prior to being in the mix for a Stanley Cup Playoff berth into the spring.
Continue reading...