The NHL recently released their top 20 centers in the NHL, with the Sharks' own Macklin Celebrini made the list, ranked as the 19th best Center in the NHL, sandwiched between Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers and Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres. It’s a massive honour for the 19-year-old Center, Celebrini, who is the youngest player on the list and the only teenager in the top 20. The complete list can be seen here.
It’s been a quick rise for Celebrini since being drafted 1st overall in 2024. His rookie season was phenomenal, and to be in the conversation with some of the best centers in the league is a tremendous honor. Celebrini has seen plenty of praise from the National media, something the Sharks haven't had in a player outside of maybe Brent Burns. It’s very easy to get excited for the future of the Sharks with Macklin Celebrini at the helm.
Expectations will be higher for Celebrini heading into his sophomore campaign from both the Sharks fanbase and media. It will be interesting to see how Celebrini handles that pressure. It’s not uncommon for players to struggle in their 2nd season in the league. Most notably, Connor Bedard faced both criticism and struggles just a year after a Calder-winning campaign in a season where he still managed 60+ points and 20+ goals. If there weren’t the burden of expectations on Bedard, there would be mostly praise for the season as a teenager. Celebrini will face a similar test this season, but like Bedard, if it does not meet expectations, it’s not the end of the world for the young superstar. It’s worth noting that in a recent appearance on former Shark John Scott’s podcast, teammate William Eklund went into detail on just how impressive Celebrini is at handling media pressure and attention, so we may not have to worry too much about the pressure getting to Celebrini this season.
Celebrini is a truly special talent, and the Sharks are lucky to have him in the fold going forward. At the same time, it’s easy to see him ascending to superstardom this coming season. If it doesn’t happen now, it’s only a matter of time for the teenage superstar, and it’s incredibly refreshing seeing a Sharks superstar get respect from the National Media.