Comparing Young Sharks, Blackhawks Stars' First 100 Games

One of the biggest storylines of the 2025–26 NHL season is how dramatically the futures of the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks have brightened. After years of rebuilding, both franchises hit the jackpot with back-to-back first overall picks. And unlike some recent No. 1 selections who needed time to blossom, Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini are already delivering superstar returns.

Both players have taken massive strides this seasons, both sit near the top of the league’s scoring race chasing Nathan MacKinnon, and both look like the type of generational talents destined to be compared to each other for the next decade, much like Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin for the past two decades.

From scoring to style of play, the next decade in hockey might be defined by these two. Here’s a closer look at how Bedard and Celebrini stack up against each other through their first 100 games, and why they’re impossible to ignore.

Celebrini’s Superstar Talent Obvious in his First 100 Games

Macklin Celebrini recently hit his 100th NHL game, and the numbers are outrageous. Through those 100 games, he has 40 goals, 66 assists, three hat tricks, and sits seventh all-time in points through 100 games among teenagers. He also became the eighth-youngest player in league history to reach 100 points — doing so at just 19 years and 169 days, slotting behind an iconic list that includes Crosby, Hawerchuk, Gretzky, Kennedy, Bellows, Carson, and Turgeon.

Macklin Celebrini (39-61—100 in 96 GP) recorded his 100th career point and became the eighth-youngest player in NHL history to reach the milestone. #NHLStats

Tune in : 🌎: https://t.co/dT34F4MhkC pic.twitter.com/f3oGWSfcnN
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) November 30, 2025

His milestone point was especially fitting: assist No. 61, tallied in teammate Will Smith’s own 100th career game, setting up Smith’s 28th NHL goal in a tight 4–3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on the road. The Sharks have a 31-55-14 record in Celebrini’s first 100 games

Game 100 was a showcase of exactly how far he’s come. Celebrini scored an empty-netter off a smooth feed from Alexander Wennberg and added two assists — his seventh three-plus-point game of the season, and the 10th of his career. He’s already looked like a franchise centerpiece, and he’s still a teenager. Talk about growing up fast.

Macklin Celebrini has played his 100th NHL game and has recorded 106 points. Where does that rank him among forwards drafted first overall since 2000? #jedlistats pic.twitter.com/LpxJhBqx6b
— Roman Jedlicka (@jedli) December 8, 2025

Looking Back at Bedard’s First 100 Games in the NHL

Connor Bedard’s first 100 games were impressive in their own right: 29 goals, 58 assists, 2 hat tricks, and 87 points. Like Celebrini, his 100th point came in his second season and in a loss. Bedard scored late on a power play in a 5–2 defeat to the Calgary Flames. Chicago’s record through Bedard’s first 100 games was 31–62–7, the exact same number of wins the Sharks had with Celebrini in his first 100 games!

Both players were discussed extensively on a recent episode of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, where Paul Bissonnette, Ryan Whitney, and Keith Yandle compared them to future Hall of Fame talents because of how dramatically they’ve improved this season. Their development curves aren’t just encouraging; they’re rare, and at this age they usually point to a generational talent.

Where does Connor Bedard stack up through his first 100 games?#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/tYOBpkKCaG
— Hockey Barn Review (@hockeybarn_) December 18, 2024

Who Has the Edge? A Closer Comparison

In pure production, Celebrini holds a strong early advantage. His 40 goals and 106 points exceed Bedard’s 87, and Celebrini’s two-way impact is already drawing comparisons to players like Crosby and Jonathan Toews at the same age. He’s been more physical, more consistent, and more dominant in pivotal moments.

Bedard, meanwhile, remains one of the purest offensive players in hockey. His playmaking vision is elite, his shot is already top-ten in the sport, and he’s carried a heavier burden on a weaker team. His numbers reflect circumstance as much as performance. The gap between their point totals is real, but so is Bedard’s ability to take over games on his own.

Two Franchises Reborn and a Rivalry That's Just Beginning

What matters most is what comes next, and both players have taken massive leaps this season. They’re legitimate contenders to represent Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics. They’re both in the top five of the scoring race and, on most nights, share the leaderboard with the two players who defined the last decade’s rivalry: Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid.

For the first time in a long time, both Chicago and San Jose have franchise cornerstones who not only sell hope, but deliver it. And as these two phenoms continue to push each other, the question becomes: Are we witnessing the NHL’s next great superstar rivalry take shape right in front of us?

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