May 7th, 2024, was a historic day for the San Jose Sharks and their fans. The Sharks won their first draft lottery in franchise history, earning the first overall pick and the right to draft Macklin Celebrini. Celebrini was viewed unanimously as the top prospect in the draft, according to the premiere scouting outlets. Eliteprospects dubbed him “the best college prospect they have ever scouted” in their 2024 draft guide. The hype was extraordinary for Macklin heading into his rookie season, and despite that, he somehow managed to exceed the lofty expectations.
Celebrini compiled 63 points (25 Goals, 38 Assists) in 70 games for the Sharks during the 2024-25 season. This is good for the all-time lead in Sharks rookie scoring, surpassing Pat Falloon’s record of 59 points set in 1992. His season also lands him 11th all-time in PPG (points per game) for an 18-year-old in NHL history and 3rd all-time by a player in the salary cap era. By all accounts, Celebrini had a special season as a rookie. Unfortunately, it likely won't result in a Calder trophy, as Lane Hutson also has a strong case after a historic season as a rookie defender. Still, Celebrini would win in most other years and still should get first-place votes for the award.
Celebrini looks like an absolute stud when looking at more traditional stats, but the underlying metrics suggest he is special. Celebrini was excellent in transition this year, being just behind guys like Mackinnon and McDavid in zone entries per 60. Defensively, he was one of the top players in the league at winning puck battles as an 18-year-old. Some of that is because the Sharks are chasing the game more than other teams. It's still impressive, however, for an 18-year-old kid in his first season.
There is still room for Celebrini to improve; in the end-of-the-season presser, Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky outlined some areas of improvement for Celebrini. Focusing on “Learning when to make a play” and “hitting the net.” These are common areas rookies need to improve on, as they are still trying to figure out what works in the NHL and what they can get away with. With a full offseason to get stronger and improve his game, it will be exciting to see Celebrini next season with a year of experience under his belt.
Celebrini’s season is not quite over, as he will represent Canada at the World Championships. It will be interesting to see how Celebrini looks on a deeper team with more talent. A good tournament here would also increase Celebrini’s chances at a 2026 Olympics roster spot. Regardless, the Sharks are in good hands, with Celebrini leading the franchise into the future.