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Florida Panthers Get First Look at Macklin Celebrini Tonight

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Celebrini
San Jose Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini works the puck in a game against the Vegas Golden Knights earlier this season. // Photo courtesy Dean Tait/Sport Shots

In another era, before the NHL Draft was lottery-driven, the ‘T-word’ — as in tank — was often implied when a generational talent such as Macklin Celebrini was eligible for the draft.

Very few will admit it, but this is how the Pittsburgh Penguins landed Mario Lemieux.

Not every season has a clear No. 1 draft pick, such as Connor Bedard, Connor McDavid, or Jack Hughes.

Finishing last in the NHL doesn’t guarantee a team the first pick, but it does give them the best odds.

The Sharks finished last in 2023-24 and won the lottery, guaranteeing them Celebrini.

The prior season, Anaheim finished last, but Chicago won the sweepstakes for Bedard.

For those fans who only follow hockey at the NHL level, Celebrini comes with outstanding credentials. 

He is only 18.

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At 17, he scored 64 points in 38 games at Boston University.

Celebrini was the youngest player to win the prestigious Hobey Baker Award, the top collegiate hockey award.

In the NHL, Celebrini has not disappointed: He even scored his first NHL goal in his first game.

It was San Jose’s first goal, 7:01 into their season.

Celebrini added an assist later in the 5-4 overtime loss to St. Louis.

He was named Rookie of the Month after recording 12 points in 14 games in November. 

Celebrini’s eight goals rank him second to Philadelphia’s Matvei Michkov among rookies — and this is after missing 12 games due to injury.

Coming into tonight’s game against the Panthers, Celebrini has 15 points in 17 games.

Celebrini was the NHL’s first star for the week ending December 1st after posting four goals and three assists in four games.

Celebrini is the kind of talent a team builds around.

The Sharks have a rookie NHL coach in 37-year-old Ryan Warsofsky.

He has core talent around which to develop his team.

The Sharks are not playoff-ready, but they are also not bottom dwellers. 

Last season, they not only finished dead last in the standings, but they were also No. 32 in defense (3.98 GAA) and No. 31 in offense(2.20 GPG)

There is no place to go but up.

Celebrini can be the catalyst.

The team has offensive talent and leadership in veterans Mikael Granlund and Tyler Toffoli. Unfortunately, Logan Couture missed almost all of last season with a groin injury and has yet to play this year.

No NHL team can be taken lightly.

The Sharks started the season winless in their first nine games but are now 10-14-5. 

They managed to do something the Panthers could not do in two attempts: They beat the New Jersey Devils in a 1-0 shutout win for goalie Mackenzie Blackwood.

Blackwood could be back in net tonight for the Sharks after Vitek Vanecek gave up five goals in the first period in an 8-1 loss to the Lightning on Thursday that snapped a three-game winning streak.

Celebrini did not play the final 7:24 of that game — but according to San Jose Hockey Now, he was not hurt nor benched.

There was no reason to play him in a game long decided.

“Just managing his minutes. Played a lot of hockey here as of late, no issues whatsoever,” Warsofsky said per SJHN after Friday’s practice at the IcePlex.

“He’s played a lot of minutes, over 20, I think the last four or five games, a lot of hockey for an 18-year-old. So in that type of game, trying to manage his minutes.”

Expect to see him get the whole load tonight in Sunrise.

ON DECK: GAME 28
SAN JOSE SHARKS AT FLORIDA PANTHERS

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