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(guy who doesnt even like dating) ok well does anyone want to get entranced by my whole deal or no.

Some thoughts about the nuances of Shane Hollander's family:

There are so many fics and so much discourse about Shane's parents being lovely and kind to both of the boys which is Great, of course! But just thinking through what we actually see them do in the show, it mostly boils down to: they're not outwardly homophobic. They just seem shocked. And sure, Shane didn't grow up in a culture that normalized DV to the same extent as Ilya and he wasn’t forced to pretend that his mother didn't khs or anything, but honestly there is SO much more nuance than that??

Shane is so uptight about literally everything and yes part of that is probably just how he is naturally but some of that IS learned and it IS the result of pressure!! From one mixed race person to another, being in a family with immigrant parents can add a whole other kind of pressure! Japan is a lot more conservative of a country than Canada too. Shane has no idea what his parents think of gay people because it has literally never come up! They don't talk about anything but hockey and Shane keeping up his brand and his game!!

Like yes, of course he had a better childhood than Ilya. But this narrative of uwu Yuna and David mvps (most valuable parents lol) ignores so much context of Shane's experience.

sapphyshipseverything

One thing I think about re:Shane and his autism is something I read ages ago, about the link between autism and trauma which essentially said that autistic people are at higher risk of adverse events leading to trauma/PTSD, in part because society is both (a) frequently traumatising to neurodivergent people and (b) terrible at supporting autistic people who have been traumatised. As in, lack of accommodations, mistreatment/abuse from neurotypical people for exhibiting autistic traits, the general stress and anxiety of existing in a world not built for you, all contributes to a system that is routinely traumatising for autistic people. And that a lot of symptoms of autism are also symptoms of trauma, so it can be hard to disentangle the two from one another.

And I just think that is such important context for Shane’s character. Like, yes Ilya has capital T Trauma from his family situation, and I’m glad that gets the attention and recognition it deserves in canon and fandom spaces, but! While Shane has a more stable family unit, I think Shane has way more instability in his relationships outside of that. I think constantly having to mask, and yet still being thought of as strange, “not the most sociable”, is so challenging in a way that a lot of people dismiss. To have to work so hard at things other people seamlessly do with no effort, to be on the back foot, to have this distance socially between you and others that you can’t seem to get rid of no matter how hard you try. To hide your true self to fit in and then still not fit in anyway. That’s really isolating!

Like yes, Shane is relatively high functioning, and part of that is because he has the resources to (mostly) get his support needs met, and part of it is that his job is both his special interest and a source of rigid routine and structure in his life, but fun fact that I constantly have to remind myself as a disabled person! Disabilities do in fact disable you. And I can’t see the NHL/MLH being a particularly accommodating work place.

I think when you add in the intersectional effects of different parts of Shane’s identity it then really does become traumatising. There’s the pressure that naturally comes with being a professional athlete. Shane’s identity and role as a ‘model minority’ in a very white sport, and the expectation that his actions have consequences (good and bad) not just for himself but for everyone who looks up to him who looks like him. Never mind being in the closet in a famously homophobic sport!!

Look, I kind of lost where I was going with all this, but I guess I just want to say that I am a Shane Hollander defender 5eva. I’m not vagueing anyone in particular, but I think in general there’s a lot of empathy and understanding for Ilya and his actions when it comes to viewing it through the lens of his Trauma/PTSD/mental health struggles (which again, I love that guy! Please do not think otherwise. I love that kind of character analysis) I guess I’d just love for people to do the same for Shane and his autism/trauma when considering his character too.

oknotgood

Shane Meta Masterlist Beginnerlist* part 1

*because I don't think this will ever be fully finished!

I have compiled a bunch of links to meta posts about Shane Hollander that I encountered and enjoyed. I hope you also enjoy them!

Ilya version here ! 💗Shane part 2 here

gingerpolyglot

Give me Shane awkwardly trying "queer culture" things that Ilya and Harris try to introduce him to and hating it.

Give me Shane "hates clubbing and bars" Hollander not minding Kingfisher in the afternoon but refusing to go at night. Give me Shane never understanding the slang (he's never online) and being overstimulated by drag brunch (it's so LOUD and nothing fits his diet even once he loosens it a little and brunch as a concept throws off his entire routine) and utterly bored by any TV show that isn't the latest game replay (is this reality TV? Is it a drama? He can't remember and he can't tell the difference but honestly he'd rather be watching hockey) and unable to remember the difference between Lady Gaga and Cher (he never listens to music anyway) and completely disinterested in changing his wardrobe (for fancy events he wears whatever his stylist tells him to but not anything adventurous, because he just wants to look acceptable not make a statement).

Give me Shane feeling alienated from gay culture the way he sometimes feels alienated from Japanese culture and being so frustrated that being himself, exactly as he is, still isn't good enough for anyone.

Give me a Shane Hollander who doesn't want to be "the gay hockey player" the same way he doesn't want to be "the Asian hockey player" but he'll suck it up because he's such an inspiration, don't you know how many kids look up to you? Don't you know how much it matters to them to see you out there loud and proud?

Give me Shane finally snapping at Ilya that clearly he's not "super gay" if he's so bad at it, because he's sick and tired of everyone being disappointed that he's not up on whatever the latest queer culture trend is and he does not want to be a "gay icon," he just wants to play hockey and love his husband, and he's not magically a different person now that everyone knows he's gay.

Give me Ilya reckoning with how coming out has only put more expectations on Shane's shoulders and noticing the roles Shane is always forced into - the Asian player, the gay player - and understanding a bit more why privacy seemed like a better guarantee of freedom to Shane than openness.

Give me Ilya promising Shane that he loves him exactly as he is, jocky and offline and dedicated to hockey, that he never has to change anything about himself to seem more palatable to anyone, and fuck anyone who thinks Shane isn't *anything* enough, because he's always been perfect for Ilya.

falsejulia

Reading it wasn’t enough, clearly. Blame the offseason -too much room, not enough restraint.

Inspired by a scene from @drivestraight ‘s latest fic, just before it ends today #depression

Not particularly meant to travel btw, do not repost if seen at all

darkpurple12

Romeo and Juliet who?

snoopycelebrini

happened to my good friend macklin celebrini </3

heraelis

no matter how loud it is, the volume is never loud enough to truly appreciate iris by the goo goo dolls

ryebreadgf

amthsts-remade-deactivated20191

follow me for more great posts other people made

meowriimo

he just loves doing a little boogie

somethingsomething25

That's the face of someone who had to stay awake all night facetimig his boybestfriend who is telling him all about the drama he caused by just changing his tiktok username and post some baking content

WSH: and now they're talking about our "divorce" ahahaha

M: yeah that's insane ahahaha

M: so I think I'm going to sleep now, yknow I have a game tomorrow

WSH: but don't you want to know about my baking? 🥺

M: of course I want to! It's just that... *gets lost into his big blue puppy eyes*... yeah, let me see what you baked 🥰

hypoferrum

to me will is like a dog with drunken lipstick prints all over its fur

wacklins

unfortunately the will smith i made up in my head who loves baking and finding restaurants on tiktok and dubai chocolate and espresso martinis and puppies and aperol spritzes and christmas and dancing and dressing up as santa and wired headphones and people watching and facetiming his dog and playing in a softball league and cape cod and wearing matching outfits and listening to wham is just the real will smith somehow

falsejulia

Will Smith Baseball universe where The White Sox know joy (and Mack is still a hockey player bc I can’t see him doing anything else I’m so not sorry)

3rd time i’m drawing wsh bc his face was made to be painted with oil and mack’s to be made into majestic sculptures. is this making sense?

wmhockey

Without the RPF Goggles: Is Will and Mack’s On-Ice Chemistry Actually Exceptional, or Just Standard Linemate Chemistry?

I received this as an anonymous ask, and I’m taking it as the perfect excuse to put together a primer on Willmack’s chemistry: how it shows up on the ice, how Will and Mack describe it themselves, and how it has been noticed by the wider hockey world.

I’ve cited everything as accurately as possible. If anything is misquoted, mislinked, missing context, or incorrect, please let me know.

So, are Will and Mack really all that as a duo? Honestly, yes. Their chemistry keeps showing up in ways that are hard to dismiss: in the stats, the milestones, the way they read each other on the ice, the way people talk about them, and the way the Sharks already seem to be building a new era around what they are together.

The Numbers Are Not Exactly Subtle

Since making their NHL debuts, Will and Mack have already put themselves in rare company. The Sharks are 31-19-4 when both appear on the scoresheet, 9-2-1 when both score, and 13-2-2 when both record multi-point games. They have factored on the same goal 64 times, surpassing Gretzky and Coffey for second-most all-time among under-21 pairs and trailing only Kane and Toews. Their 47 shared goals this season also tied for third-most by a Sharks pair all time, the most since Jumbo and Heatley in 2009-10, and they factored into seven game-winners, including the Sharks’ first and last wins of the season. The Kane/Toews comparison becomes even more striking when you add the context: Kane and Toews reached their mark across 144 games together, while Will and Mack had played only 117 together at that point. Why, you ask? On December 13, 2025, Will sustained a shoulder injury from a clean hit by Parker Wotherspoon of the Pittsburgh Penguins (which sent Mack into a rage, followed by a generational lock-in that won them the game 6-5 in OT). Will was on IR for an entire month and missed 13 games before returning on January 16th. Needless to say, had he not been injured, they would have surpassed this and broken the U21 record.

They Keep Showing Up in Each Other’s Big Moments

They also keep appearing in each other’s biggest individual moments. Will assisted on all three goals of Mack’s first NHL hat trick, Mack assisted Will in reaching his 100th career point, and Will assisted Mack in breaking Joe Thornton’s franchise record for most points in a single season by a Shark. Those are individual accomplishments, of course, but it is notable how often one of them seems to be right there when the other hits a major marker. They are already becoming part of each other’s NHL stories.

Trust, Timing, and “Soulmate Ping-Pong”

Their best plays together have a distinct rhythm: wide passes, no-look feeds, quick exchanges, and a habit of finding each other through traffic even when the safer option is available. Some fans call it “soulmate ping-pong,” and even their own goalie, Alex Nedeljkovic, has teased them about the way you never quite know whether they are going to pass to each other indefinitely or finally bury it. What is quite interesting is that Mack has tried similar quick-passing sequences with Sidney Crosby during the IIHF Worlds, with mixed results, further highlighting Willmack’s connection on the ice. You hear a mutual trust echoed between them in the way Will says he does not need to call for the puck because Mack sees him, and in the way Mack says Will does not even look at him, but still finds him. Those comments all point to the same thing: their best hockey is not just built on skill, but on timing, anticipation, and a shared sense of where the play is going. Even when asked about their first year of building chemistry, both spoke of it as something they were continuing to develop, which makes the whole thing feel less accidental and more like an intentional, ongoing project.

“Two Peas in a Pod” Was Not Just a Throwaway Line

That is why the “two peas in a pod” label stuck so easily. The NHL used that phrase in a piece about how their connection “blended right away,” how they eat together on the road, hang out together at home, and are “always together off the ice,” according to Will himself. The Sharks’ own feature called them “linemate, teammate and bestie”, noting that they clicked off the ice as quickly as they did on it, and pointing out that the “WillMack” moniker had already become part of the public story around them. And the thing is, people outside the fandom notice it too.

The Wider Hockey World Keeps Noticing

Their chemistry has been commented on by local broadcasters, national coverage, opposing broadcasts, teammates, coaches, and family members. The Penguins broadcast noticed the connection during that infamous matchup, and the Toronto broadcast had its own very memorable reaction to their dynamic. Drew and Randy are frequently gushing over Will and Mack’s bench interactions, even going as far as calling Mack Will’s partner during intermission, while Brodie laments on their importance to each other “as colleagues, as friends, as whatever you consider yourselves to be for each other.” These comments really highlight how often people reach for relationship language because their hockey connection is so visible. Drew calling them “those two cutie pies” is obviously lighthearted, but it also captures how much their partnership has become part of the Sharks’ watchability. Sheng Peng has pointed out that Will moving from center (a position he had successfully played his entire life) to Mack’s wing does not read like much of a sacrifice when you understand that those two love each other, and the clearest path for Will to share the ice with Mack is by embracing the wing. Which he now seems to announce with pride.

Teammates and Family See the Same Thing

The teammate and family commentary make the dynamic feel even more of a standout. Colleen Smith has spoken at length about how inseparable they are both on and off the ice, while Rick Celebrini has described Will as Mack's "balance, joy, and release." Their veteran teammate and close friend, Tyler Toffoli, straightforwardly said they need each other.

Why the Line Blender Makes Their Separation So Noticeable

That is also why their separation is always noticeable. When Ryan Warsofsky starts blending lines, it is not that either player suddenly forgets how to play hockey; Mack is still Mack, and Will is still highly skilled in his own right. But their partnership seems to unlock a more connected version of offence that is quicker, more creative, and more instinctive. During Will’s scoring dry spell, Warsofsky tried to solve the issue by shortening Will’s TOI and cycling different players onto Mack’s line in search of “someone to play with Mack.” What followed was the infamous chaos of a Warso line-blender game, which led to fewer wins, a deeply frustrated audience, and a visibly exhausted duo that was not allowed to settle into each other. The irony, of course, is that even Warsofsky himself has admitted that their relationship is “great” and “special,” which is about as direct as coaches usually get when acknowledging teammate chemistry. It is also worth mentioning that Will and Mack insist on their visionary playmaking, even in the face of obvious turnovers and overextended passing in favour of shooting the puck. Warsofsky admitted, “You could go through Mack and Will’s shifts and show them the video. And even if it’s a mistake in my eyes, they can tell you what they were thinking and maybe what play they wanted to make, and then you can see it.” That quote is important because it captures why their chemistry can look both magical and occasionally maddening. They often see a play that might be one step too ambitious in the moment, but the idea behind it is there. That is part of what makes watching them together so compelling.

The Rituals Are Part of the Pattern, and They Are Still Building It

Will and Mack’s rituals are another distinguishing factor. Their warm-up routines, frequent on-ice conferencing, national anthem shenanigans, and rather dramatic and unnecessary smelling-salts sharing do not prove anything major on their own, because hockey players are ritualistic and strange by nature. But together, they create a very recognizable pattern. There is a specific Will-and-Mack-ness to the way they move around each other, check in with each other, and seem to reset through each other during games. In the offseason, they plan to train together to keep developing that chemistry and get playoff-ready, with Boston, Vancouver, and potentially Halifax all in the picture. There is also speculation that they might be moving in together, which honestly tracks given how they are. Will helps loosen Mack. Mack sharpens Will. Together, the hockey looks more alive.

So, Is It Actually Exceptional?

So yes, Willmack’s chemistry is genuinely rare. Not because no other NHL duo has ever been close, productive, or fun to watch, but because theirs is unusually complete for such a young pair, to the point that they are already being compared to legendary NHL duos like SidGeno and McDrai. The fandom can have fun with the dramatics, but the core observation still holds: Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini are not just two talented young players standing next to each other in a rebuild. They look like two players actively building something together.

As Will himself said, just a few months into their rookie season, "it would be cool if he and Mack got to stick around in San Jose long enough to pass down the mantle," much like their predecessors, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. It is the kind of comment that makes it sound as though they were already imagining their jerseys hung together in the rafters from day one.

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