The first round of the 2024 NHL Draft is on Friday, June 28 and the San Jose Sharks have two picks to help add to the growing roster of talented young prospects. In previous iterations of a draft preview post, who the Sharks would pick in the first round relied on a lot of factors, not the least of which was what would the teams in front of the Sharks do. That is not the case this year. The Sharks have the first overall pick, which means the team is driving this bus.
Amazingly, there is no controversy this year. There is only one player that rises to the top of every pundit and scout’s lists of top picks.
Macklin Celebrini.
Period.
So, Fear the Fin will only produce one post for the first overall pick because there can only be one option. Run the scenario 100 times, and each and every time, General Manager Mike Grier will walk up to the podium and say Celebrini’s name.
But, that, we know. What else do Sharks fans need to know about the heir apparent to the title of number one overall NHL draft pick?
Macklin Celebrini, C – Boston University
Height: 6-foot-0
Weight: 190 lbs.
Age/DOB: 18, June 13, 2006
Shoots: Left
Boston University: 38 games, 64 points (32 G, 32 A)
Canada U20 World Junior Championship: 5 games, 8 points (4 G, 4 A)
2023 – 24 Awards: Hobey Baker Award Winner, NCAA National Rookie of the Year
Celebrini has garnered awards at virtually every level he’s played at, but this past year in college hockey may be the most impressive yet. He was the youngest player in college hockey this season yet still managed to win the most prestigious award in NCAA hockey, the Hobey Baker Award. Only four players have ever received the award as freshmen: Paul Kariya, Jack Eichel, Adam Fantilli, and now Celebrini.
He exceeded expectations during his first season with Boston University, helping to take the Terriers to the Frozen Four. Boston University eventually lost to Denver, the NCAA champions.
Celebrini is on the younger side of draftees. He turned 18 on June 13, just in time for the draft. That said, he’s playing at the level of a much older player.
The scouting reports
Let’s kick things off with what the Sharks think of Celebrini because that’s, honestly, one of the more important pieces.
“I think he’s a 200-foot player, which is rare for someone who is as offensively gifted as he is,” General Manager Mike Grier told ESPN following the draft lottery. “I love his competitiveness. I watch him practice. And he works. Every drill, he goes as hard as he can. I think he’s a real unique player at this stage.”
Central Scouting emphasized what Celebrini’s ceiling could become in the NHL.
“[Celebrini is] an NHL All Star in the making, having been a model of elite consistency accumulating player and rookie of the year honors in Hockey East,” NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr said. “Macklin is playing at an enviable level all on his own. It’s truly impressive how he is able to thrive in every environment he plays, possessing that rare ability with his skills and passion to face every challenge head-on and generate results, all the while making himself a better player.”
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic also projects Celebrini to be a future impact player in the NHL.
“He has shown, again and again, that he has pretty well everything you look for in the mold of a center and has looked like a true star-forward prospect domestically and internationally (where he has been Canada’s best player as an underager at U18 worlds and the world juniors),” wrote Wheeler.
“Celebrini can impact and drive play in so many different areas, too,” Wheeler continued. “He plays with confidence and presence that is rare in a player his age, consistently looking to attack and dictate with the puck. He’s also an intelligent off-puck player who understands timing, routes and how to get open and make himself available without the puck in his hands. He’s a plus-level skater and excellent transition puck transporter who has an impressive ability to giddy up and drive the middle third. He’s quick and hard to track on turns and off the wall.
“He’s a hardworking player defensively, and into battles and races for pucks. He’s got dynamic puck skills that allow him to break down opponents and coverage at speed,” Wheeler continued. “He’s a tactile shooter and finisher who can get pucks off in a variety of ways, from a variety of stances, and without needing to tunnel vision for it (plus he has a hard and comfortable one-timer). He’s consistent in approach. He sees and executes through seams with a lot of crispness.
“He is sturdy and thick for his age and absorbs and plays through bumps extremely effectively, staying over pucks and extending sequences through a strong lower half,” Wheeler said. “He’s a quietly powerful player for a 6-foot kid, and while he’s not going to bully his way around the ice, he commands play and imposes himself on games. Those tools, combined with excellent puck-protection skills and an aggressive approach, allow him to play a heavy-skill game. I expect him to become a frontline, star-level center.”
Deep breath folks and just imagine watching Celebrini and Will Smith together in a few years. Two top end forwards with vision and on-ice intelligence well above the average NHL player. You think Smith is good with Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault, just imagine what happens when it’s a Smith, Eklund, Celebrini first unit power play.
The case against Celebrini
So, is there a reason not to pick Celebrini?
Absolutely not.
Every single draft board has Celebrini going number one.
However, if you truly want a devil’s advocate case against drafting him, I guess you could make the argument that the Sharks’ defensive prospect pool is weak. A top talent on defense would be ideal.
The case for Celebrini
Of course, the counterargument to that is you draft the best player with the number one overall pick, no matter what position they play. Celebrini is the best player. We’re talking about a future NHL All-Star and a repeat one at that.
His skill set aside, the stories coming out about Celebrini should give fans hope. For example, let’s celebrate the fact that while Celebrini grew up in Vancouver, he played for the 14U Junior Sharks for two seasons before heading off to hockey powerhouse Shattuck-St. Mary’s in 2020. It’s a homecoming of sorts for the young centerman.
Or we can talk about the fact that his family still lives in the Bay Area. His father is the Golden State Warriors vice president of player health and performance. The elder Celebrini is a physiotherapist, and Macklin absorbed all that knowledge while growing up. When you talk about a player who understands his body, its limitations, and where it can be pushed, Celebrini may be the best-informed 18-year-old athlete on the planet.
What’s more, he might have the attitude that Sharks fans are looking for. In a recent interview with ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, the Warriors’ Draymond Green talked about what it was like to see Celebrini at the Warriors’ facilities.
“He’s quiet but super confident and is not afraid to share that confidence with you,” Green said. “We don’t get the opportunity to see him often, but every chance, he has a smile on his face. He walks in the room like he belongs in the room. Like he’s supposed to be there.
“It’s not something over the top where it’s like, ‘Hey, I need you to realize that I’m here.’ You feel the seriousness when you talk to him. Like, he wants to work; he wants to be great. I have no doubt in my mind that he will be.”
The entire Kaplan article is a great read if you have the time.
Conclusion
Get excited Sharks fans, Celebrini has the potential to be the greatest talent San Jose has seen since the Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau era. Yes, there’s a long way to go before we reach that point, but add him to the mix with Smith, Quentin Musty, Shakir Mukhamadullin and Eklund and the Sharks could be a dangerous team to contend with in a few seasons.
