San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini leaves game vs. Utah with lower-body injury

The San Jose Sharks confirmed that No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini would not return to tonight’s game versus Utah Hockey Club, following a lower-body injury.

Celebrini may have sustained the injury after shooting a puck at Utah’s goalie, Connor Ingram and crashing hard into the boards. Celebrini was able to get up on his own accord and play a couple more shifts before exiting.

Celebrini tallied 32 goals and 64 points in 38 games with the Boston University Terriers of the NCAA during the 2023-24 campaign.

The North Vancouver, British Columbia native also skated in five games with Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, collecting four goals and eight points.

Celebrini spent the 2022-23 season with the USHL’s Chicago Steel, with whom he amassed 46 goals and 86 points in 50 games as a 16-year-old. He added six goals and 15 points in seven games with Team Canada at the 2023 IIHF U-18 World Championship.

The 18-year-old will play alongside Sharks prospects Will Smith, William Eklund and Thomas Bordeleau during the 2024-25 season. If Celebrini can get healthy, he will make his highly anticipated NHL debut on the opening night of the 2024-25 campaign on Oct. 10 versus the St. Louis Blues.

Here’s what Daily Faceoff‘s Steven Ellis had to say about Celebrini, who slotted in at No. 1 on his final 2024 NHL Draft rankings:

“The undisputed No. 1 prospect is as complete as it gets, putting up great numbers while still backchecking like his life depends on it. Celebrini is good in the draw, with his pure strength allowing him to win so many faceoffs even against older competition. He’ll be San Jose’s No. 1 for a while, finding ways to make himself valuable even if he isn’t producing much on the scoresheet. As a middleman, he’s better than Bedard. Skill-wise, not on par, but still quite amazing on his own. First overall picks always get significant attention and sometimes even get overhyped. With Celebrini, you can see all the translatable skills, plus how well he handled playing against older competition at only 17. Just think where he’ll be in five more years.”