The tale of two captains: Bedard and Celebrini take center stage

[p]That’s all [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/celebrini-macklin/I7wgduSQ/"]Celebrini[/a] needed. Patiently waiting in front of the crease, he saw a shot fired by his teammate and tipped it into the net. He scored his first-ever Olympic goal in his debut. Celebrini went on to lead the tournament in goals, recording 10 points in six games and helping [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/canada/dSsR389c/"]Canada[/a] win the silver medal.[/p][p]His 10 points were the most ever by a teenager at an Olympics featuring NHL players.[/p][p]Just a few months later, Hockey Canada named the still-19-year-old Celebrini captain of Canada's men's team for the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland. It was an exclamation point on his terrific NHL and Olympic campaign.[/p][p]He became the youngest player ever to wear the "C" for Canada's senior men's team. [/p][embed guid="519261fa-484c-40f6-b7f5-e0ef91a3b044" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag4WS6KVdjs" social-type="youtube" /][p]At the Olympics, Team Canada was captained by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/crosby-sidney/UTbIZpKC/"]Sidney Crosby[/a] — the definition of hockey and a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/pittsburgh-penguins/AkN0nWU6/"]Pittsburgh[/a] icon. One of the greatest players to ever skate on ice. A three-time Stanley Cup winner. The list could go on forever. Initially, Crosby wasn't set to compete at the World Championship, so Canada picked a new leader. Then, Crosby joined the roster late, ready to go.[/p][p]Remarkably, he didn't want to shake things up.[/p][p]Rather than taking the captaincy back, Crosby supported Celebrini, keeping the "C." Hockey Canada GM Brad Treliving said Celebrini was named captain before Crosby committed, and once Crosby joined, he was adamant that Celebrini remain captain. Celebrini, meanwhile, reportedly wanted Crosby to have the "C." Crosby didn't flinch. He knew Celebrini was special, and he trusted him. [/p][p]It paid off.[/p][p]Celebrini backed up the honor on the ice, as he finished the tournament with 14 points in 10 games, was named the tournament's Best Forward, and earned a spot on the All-Star Team while helping Canada to win the bronze medal. [/p][embed guid="5a175bc8-bce0-4d91-9127-5a0ee3c804dd" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0TRFH1-BEc" social-type="youtube" /][p]He accomplished everything as a teenager, as he didn’t turn 20 until mid-June 2026. His age was never an issue. He proved he belongs. He’s more than good enough. Three months after leading the senior national team, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-jose-sharks/E588Co9j/"]San Jose Sharks[/a] announced they named Celebrini their 11th full-time captain.[/p][p]At just 20 years old, he became the youngest active captain in NHL history. Ready to take the Sharks to the next level. And there’s no time to waste. [/p][embed guid="169aaf89-7fc7-47ad-ba1a-7769de25de99" url="https://x.com/SanJoseSharks/status/2103545180955832334" social-type="twitter" /][h2]New year, new leaders [/h2][p]The wait is finally over. When summer ends, school days resume, temperatures start dropping, and leaves turn colorful and start falling, hockey fans know: the NHL is coming back. The 109th overall campaign started on September 29, 2026. The puck dropped first in Raleigh, where the reigning champions, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/carolina-hurricanes/Sx0gl0tm/"]Carolina Hurricanes[/a], hosted the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/florida-panthers/fc1eq8Pp/"]Florida Panthers[/a]. [/p][p]Before the puck dropped, the Hurricanes raised their championship banner, officially ending the celebrations that lasted all offseason. [/p][p][b]"It was great, and that to me is more so for the fans. They didn't get to see us celebrate it on home ice, so it was nice to do a little victory lap," [/b]Carolina coach [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brindamour-rod/fyS6ztF5/"]Rod Brind'Amour[/a] said. [b]"I thought that was cool. They need to enjoy that stuff. They're a big part of the success we've had over the years. I thought that was cool." [/b][/p][p]The ceremony brought back the title memories and reminded everybody in the arena what’s at stake again. The coveted Stanley Cup. Once the banner went to the rafters, the new hunt began, and the Panthers started the season in style as they scored a game-winning goal in overtime to spoil Carolina’s special night. [/p][embed guid="94fb9c8f-ed67-427c-bdca-baf16688a804" url="https://x.com/Canes/status/2105050426542305617" social-type="twitter" /][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-bruins/jeans23J/"]Boston Bruins[/a] dominated the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-york-rangers/O4zxeyWN/"]New York Rangers[/a] 3-0 on their home ice, achieving an incredible milestone of winning their 11th consecutive home opener. The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vegas-golden-knights/fTT0TsUg/"]Vegas Golden Knights[/a] - who lost to the Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Finals - started the year with a 5-2 victory over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chicago-blackhawks/A1kbmKeg/"]Chicago Blackhawks[/a].[/p][p]But Chicago competed without their biggest superstar, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bedard-connor/fFchW9IL/"]Connor Bedard[/a]. [/p][p]The 21-year-old center is recovering from a shoulder injury and is expected to return to the lineup in late October. Chicago are not only missing arguably their best player, but also their captain. On September 15, 2026, the Blackhawks announced that the organization had named Bedard its 37th captain.[/p][p]He is also the second-youngest captain in Blackhawks history, trailing only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/toews-jonathan/fuMzCgPi/"]Jonathan Toews[/a] (who was 20 years and 79 days old). After Celebrini, Bedard became the second-youngest active captain in the NHL. [/p][embed guid="15f58b19-c6d1-40b2-b282-54c16f50abcf" url="https://x.com/NHLPR/status/2099859900113572295" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]“Connor perfectly embodies what it means to be a Blackhawk,”[/b] said Chicago’s general manager Kyle Davidson. [b]“From the moment he entered the league, Connor has led by example and has set a remarkable standard for himself while demonstrating his ability to make the players around him better. He has earned the respect of his teammates and the entire organization through the way he prepares, competes and conducts himself every single day, and there is no doubt that he is ready to take on this tremendous responsibility. We’re proud to have him lead this storied franchise and excited for him to shape the next chapter of Blackhawks hockey.” [/b][/p][h2]Bright future [/h2][p]With these two on ice, the NHL is in an exciting era. Now both serving as captains, they have a prime opportunity to take their teams to the next level and become the faces of the league. Both centers were selected No. 1 overall in consecutive drafts - Bedard in 2023 and Celebrini in 2024 -  and have quickly become the centerpieces of rebuilding franchises.[/p][p]Now, they are preparing to lead the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks into what could be a very bright future.[/p][p]Although their games are slightly different, the similarities between Bedard and Celebrini are obvious. Both are elite centers with exceptional offensive instincts, tremendous hockey IQ, and the ability to take over games. During his rookie campaign, Celebrini scored five consecutive Sharks game-winning goals.[/p][p]At 18, he became only the second teenager in NHL history to accomplish the feat, joining Crosby. Bedard’s feats aren’t any less impressive: he recorded five points against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/anaheim-ducks/4CM4ojpD/"]Anaheim Ducks[/a] as a rookie, becoming just the fifth 18-year-old in NHL history to produce a five-point game.[/p][embed guid="025f8aec-5f81-45b9-b464-86ce99af775f" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwQhHh2aCQ0" social-type="youtube" /][p]More importantly, both have embraced the responsibility that comes with being the face of an NHL franchise at a remarkably young age. They entered the league as generational talents, and their performances never allowed any doubts to creep in. Bedard’s unwavering commitment to greatness was also solidified through his healthy lifestyle choices. [/p][p][b]“He’s never had fast food,”[/b] said Bedard’s mother Melanie. [b]“He will at some point, but he hasn’t eaten at McDonald’s or anything yet. I think we all know when we eat well, how you feel, and then when we kind of go off the rails. I think he’s just aware of that feeling.”[/b] [/p][p]Bedard is entering his fourth season and playing his best hockey. Last season, he had a breakout year, taking another major step forward: he recorded career highs of 30 goals, 45 assists and 75 points in 69 games.[/p][p]He led Chicago in scoring for the third consecutive season and established himself as more than simply a highly touted young star. After the Blackhawks occupied the bottom of the Western Conference in all his first three seasons and never won more than 29 games, Bedard is ready to make Chicago competitive again. [/p][embed guid="c3c68a98-0ea9-4484-b0d2-6c1fd3c49f34" url="https://x.com/NHL/status/2103273363204669815" social-type="twitter" /][p]The franchise made massive moves in the offseason, bringing back legendary right winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kane-patrick/tb7eL3Io/"]Patrick Kane[/a] on a two-year deal. The Blackhawks also signed veterans [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cole-ian/UZ3jsIVF/"]Ian Cole[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/smith-cole/pdYXGCxn/"]Cole Smith[/a] to add to the depth. The front office traded for star defenseman [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/byram-bowen/ITJHpt5h/"]Bowen Byran[/a] and forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/greenway-jordan/EeTUHE6b/"]Jordan Greenway[/a]. With an improved roster and Bedard almost back in a new leadership role, Chicago is excited. [/p][p]The same goes for the Sharks. In Celebrini’s premier season, San Jose won just 20 games and finished last in the West, recording five fewer victories than the second-to-last Blackhawks. But behind his historic second season, Celebrini helped San Jose to improve to 39 wins.[/p][p]The youth superstar tallied 115 total points for 45 goals and 70 assists, breaking [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thornton-joe/6w25RAT4/"]Joe Thornton[/a]'s franchise record of 114 points in a single season. Celebrini finished fourth in the NHL in scoring and became only the second player under 20 years old ever to record at least 40 goals and 70 assists in a season, joining [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gretzky-wayne/lGIwJAJ5/"]Wayne Gretzky[/a]. [/p][embed guid="9414b3d4-c0cc-4eb5-8dde-7a7757230472" url="https://x.com/NHLPR/status/2101672864135184518" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Postseason hunt[/h2][p]With Celebrini at the rink, San Jose is set to keep significantly improving. The Sharks now have one of the league's most exciting young cores led by one of the most exciting, elite, young players. Meanwhile, Chicago has surrounded Bedard with more experience and continues to build toward becoming a playoff team. And while neither team should be expected to become a Stanley Cup contender overnight, it is possible that fans won’t see these teams at the bottom of the conference once the regular season ends.[/p][p]The expectation is that both the Blackhawks and the Sharks will be competing in the playoffs. [/p][p]The blueprint is clear: give the young superstar talent, surround him with the right supporting cast, and let him grow into the leader of the franchise. Bedard and Celebrini are no longer simply the future of the NHL. They are already its present — and wherever they take Chicago and San Jose could define the next generation of hockey.[/p][p]Both serving as two of the youngest captains in NHL history, the message is clear: both franchises stand behind them.[/p][infobox id="4a10d479-52d8-41e0-aa1d-fb0ac5772099" /]