The San Jose Sharks took a step toward a return to the NHL on Friday night when they selected Macklin Celebrini with the first overall pick in the draft.
Celebrini, 18, was a star center at Boston University and was just the fourth freshman to win the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey, and the youngest player in the nation to win the award.
He scored 34 goals and 64 points in 38 games.
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Macklin Celebrini of Boston University was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft at the Sphere in Las Vegas on June 28. (Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“It just feels surreal,” Celebrini said. “I’ve dreamed of this moment since I was a kid, and it’s come true and it feels amazing.”
Celebrini has yet to decide whether to return to Boston College for his sophomore season.
The Sharks entered the NHL at the start of the 1991-92 season. Friday night was the first night they had the No. 1 pick in the draft. They have had the No. 2 overall pick three times. In 1991, they selected Pat Falloon. In 1996, they selected Andrei Dzyuzin. In 1997, they selected Patrick Marleau.
The NHL Central Scouting Report describes Celebrini as “a powerful skater with a smooth stride, elusive speed and agility. A reliable one-timer on the power play. An intelligent complete player.”
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Macklin Celebrini (71) of the Boston College Terriers and Zeev Bouium (28) of the Denver Pioneers compete for the puck during a Division I men’s ice hockey semifinal at Xcel Energy Center on April 11, 2024 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Tyler Shank/NCAA via Getty Images)
Celebrini is the Sharks’ center of the future after the team selected center William Smith last year.
“Getting the No. 1 overall pick is a big moment for our team and hopefully we’re getting a guy who will play a big role in our core and be here for a long time,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said earlier this week.
“We’re certainly doing a good job (of laying the foundation). I don’t know if the foundation is complete,” he added. “It’s definitely an important time and an important draft, but we still have work to do to finish things off and continue to build a talent pool.”
For the first time, the draft was held at the Sphere in Las Vegas.
The Chicago Blackhawks selected defenseman Artyom Levshunov with the No. 2 pick, while the Anaheim Ducks surprised the NHL world by selecting right winger Beckett Senneke with the No. 3 pick.
Macklin Celebrini, second from left, poses after being selected by the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the 2024 NHL Hockey Draft, Friday, June 28, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)
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At No. 4, the Columbus Blue Jackets selected centre Kayden Lindstrom, while the Montreal Canadiens selected right winger Ivan Demidov at No. 5.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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