Sharks’ Celebrini Forces Smith to Wear BU Jersey After Beanpot Win

San Jose, CA — Macklin Celebrini, a standout rookie for the San Jose Sharks, found himself in a playful rivalry with fellow rookie Will Smith following a recent college hockey match. After the Boston University Terriers defeated the Boston College Eagles 4-1 in the Beanpot final, Celebrini is now set to call in a bet that requires Smith to don a BU jersey during an upcoming Sharks game.

The roots of the wager date back to January, when Celebrini was obliged to wear Smith’s Eagles jersey to a Sharks game after BU lost a weekend series to BC. “He made sure it was the one that he beat us in,” Celebrini remarked about the jersey swap. Both rookies were part of their college teams last year when the Eagles topped the Terriers in the Hockey East Championship.

On Feb. 6, the two confirmed during the Sharks’ practice—their first since the 4 Nations Face-Off—that the bet remains unchanged: Smith will wear Celebrini’s BU jersey at a future game. Celebrini quipped, “I only have one,” suggesting that he is keeping the specifics of the jersey as a secret.

The game in question won’t take place until after the 4 Nations Face-Off wraps up, with the Sharks scheduled to face the Calgary Flames on Feb. 23 and then the New York Islanders on March 8 at SAP Center.

While Celebrini may be reveling in victory, Smith took the loss in stride, stating with a laugh, “I’m trying to see if he can forget about it this week.” Smith jokingly mentioned he would remind his former college teammates, including Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault, about the outcome of the Beanpot match.

This friendly rivalry didn’t just end with the jersey switch; the two players discussed the possibility of another wager regarding the USA-Canada game at the 4 Nations final set for Thursday. Celebrini, however, quickly dismissed the notion, laughing, “No!”

The competitive spirit between Celebrini and Smith has the Sharks community cheering, as both young athletes continue to showcase their talent and camaraderie as they navigate their rookie seasons in the NHL.