The San Jose Sharks signed star center Macklin Celebrini to the richest contract in franchise history on Wednesday, a five-year extension worth a total of $94 million. The contract’s average annual value is $18.8 million.“In just two seasons as a teenager in the National Hockey League and on the international stage, Macklin has established himself as one of the premier players in the world,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said in a statement. “We are extremely excited to have him secured and committed as the centerpiece of a core of talented players in San Jose.“As we continue our goal of building a team capable of annually competing for the Stanley Cup, we want to thank Macklin and his representatives for a respectful negotiation process, and acknowledge the flexibility they have provided to the team in how we allocate future dollars towards the team being constructed around Macklin.Previously, the Sharks handed the largest contract to Erik Karlsson in 2019 — an eight-year extension worth $92 million ($11.5 million AAV) signed following his first season with the team, after San Jose acquired him from the Ottawa Senators. Karlsson spent five years with the Sharks before waiving his no-movement clause to facilitate a 2023 trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Sharks still have $1.5 million retained for this season.How this 19-year-old became his team’s best playerHarman DayalThis deal for the 20-year-old Celebrini, which begins in the 2027-28 season, comes during a summer in which notable young restricted free agents landed massive contracts. Within weeks of each other, the Anaheim Ducks kept Leo Carlsson by matching a five-year, $90 million offer sheet the center signed with the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Chicago Blackhawks re-signed Connor Bedard to a five-year, $75 million contract.