Macklin Celebrini drove Canada to a 6-1 win over France in the canada france hockey exhibition game in Paris on Sunday. The Canadian captain finished with a goal and three assists as the team opened its pre-tournament schedule ahead of the 2026 world championship.
Celebrini Sets The Pace
Celebrini was the centerpiece from the start. His four-point night matched the sharpest offensive line of the game and gave Canada immediate production from the player chosen to lead the group before the tournament.
Gabriel Vilardi matched the next-best output with a goal and two assists, while Mark Scheifele also posted a goal and two assists. John Tavares added a goal and an assist, giving Canada four multi-point scorers in the same game.
Canada’s Scoring Spread
The rest of Canada’s offense came from Parker Wotherspoon and Dylan Holloway, who each scored once. That left six different Canadian goal contributions in a game that never moved beyond control for long.
Jet Greaves handled the other side of the result by stopping 24 shots. France managed one goal, but Canada’s scoring depth and goaltending were enough to turn the opener into a comfortable start.
Paris Opens The Build
The game was Canada’s first pre-tournament action ahead of the 2026 world championship, so the result offered the staff an early read on how the lineup responds in game conditions. Celebrini, already named captain, left that first test with the clearest offensive line in the lineup.
For Canada, the takeaway is straightforward: the top end produced, the secondary scorers joined in, and Greaves backed it with a 24-save night. That is the kind of start that gives a team a baseline before the meaningful games begin.
