13-year-old RJ Celebrini already outshining his NHL star brother Macklin Celebrini

At just 13 years old, Richard Junior “RJ” Celebrini is already turning heads. The youngest brother of Macklin, the San Jose Sharks’ breakout star, is putting up eye-popping numbers with the North Shore Winter Club U14 team. 38 goals and 83 points in 30 games. At that age, production like that never goes unnoticed.

The Celebrini family is stacked with phenomenal hockey talent. The eldest brother, Aiden, is a steady, no-nonsense defenseman currently playing NCAA hockey at Boston University and he’s already a Vancouver Canucks prospect.

Macklin Celebrini, of course, paved the way by becoming the cornerstone of the Sharks’ rebuild. If RJ keeps developing at this pace, he’ll likely be eligible for the NHL Draft around 2030 or 2031. Nothing is guaranteed, but the spotlight is already creeping toward him.

In an interview with the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, Macklin Celebrini didn’t hesitate when asked about his younger brother and praised him and how good he is. Coming from a first-overall pick, those compliments carry weight. RJ, for his part, stays grounded. He loves his team, his dressing room, and the freedom to train whenever he wants.

He once stated that his favourite NHL team is the Canucks, naturally seeing he’s a Vancouver kid. And his dream is to make the NHL. And the best advice he’s been given? “Give everything 100%.”

All of this says a lot about who he is. The kid wants to follow in his brother’s footsteps, but he knows nothing is promised. At 13, the road ahead is long and full of obstacles. Scouts, though, will be watching closely. With his level of production and a work-ethic-first mindset, RJ could very quickly become a name worth remembering.

The talent is there and the passion too. If the progression continues, don’t be surprised if all 32 NHL teams have him circled in their notebooks three or four years from now. For now, he’s enjoying the game and that’s exactly what he should be doing. When it comes to the future and the rest, that’s for him to write his own story and for us to follow closely.