Top 2024 NHL Draft prospect Macklin Celebrini wins Hockey East Rookie and Player of the Year awards
The NCAA Awards were handed out today and 2024 top draft prospect and Boston University forward Macklin Celebrini has won the NCAA Hockey East Rookie and NCAA Player of the Year awards.
Celebrini becomes just the fourth player in NCAA history to win the Hockey East Rookie and Player of the Year awards. The other recipients were Jack Eichel, Paul Kariya and Brian Leetch.
The league’s best rookie.
The league’s best player.
Macklin Celebrini. pic.twitter.com/6mmoYTmwCk
Celebrini notched a team-leading 30 goals and 25 assists for 55 points in 33 games. Leaguewide, Celebrini ranked second in goals behind Anaheim Ducks prospect Cutter Gauthier, 30th in assists and third in points.
The North Vancouver, British Columbia product is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick at the upcoming 2024 NHL Draft held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Last season while playing for the Chicago Steel in the United States Hockey League (USHL) he notched a league-leading 46 goals and 40 assists for 86 points in 50 games. Celebrini’s dominance earned him the USHL Rookie and Player of the Year honors.
In the last calendar year, Celebrini has now won the USHL Forward, Rookie and Player of the Year awards, as well as the NCAA Hockey East Rookie of the Year and NCAA Player of the Year awards. He is also an NCAA Hobey Baker Finalist, which is awarded to the NCAA Top Collegiate Player of the Year.
On the international stage, Celebrini represented Canada at the Under-18 World Junior Championships in 2022-23, tallying six goals and nine assists for 15 points in seven games capturing a bronze medal. He again represented Canada this year at the 2024 World Juniors, registering four goals and four assists for eight points in five games.
Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis weighed in on Celebrini back in January during his mid-season rankings, “Celebrini is going first overall. Open and shut. Celebrini has been leaned upon by former NHLer Jay Pandolofo in college, getting played in all situations on the Terriers despite being the only 17-year-old on the team. Celebrini was miles ahead of everyone on Canada’s world junior team too, blocking shots, throwing hits, blasting by players and dominating offensively. Celebrini is the complete package.”