Sharks’ Rookie Macklin Celebrini Shows Maturity Amid Team Struggles

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Macklin Celebrini, the San Jose Sharks‘ No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, is navigating the challenges of his rookie season with a maturity that belies his 18 years. Despite the Sharks’ dismal 4-19-1 record since Dec. 3 and a six-game losing streak, Celebrini remains focused on his role and the long-term process of rebuilding the franchise.

“I’m not going to be happy that we’re losing,” Celebrini told San Jose Hockey Now after practice on Sunday. “You can’t dwell on it either. You kind of have to let it go at some point, but definitely not going to be fine with it.”

As the Sharks’ future cornerstone, Celebrini faces immense pressure. Yet, he emphasizes the importance of staying within his responsibilities. “You just take care of your job,” he said. “Take care of your guy [defensively] and kind of do your job. If everyone does their job, then we should be pretty good.”

Celebrini’s defensive growth has been particularly notable. Head coach Ryan Warsofsky praised the rookie’s development, saying, “Defensively, it’s not even close. The way he is defensively, where he is positionally, he’s one of our better defensive centers. For an 18-year-old kid, it’s remarkable.”

Despite his youth, Celebrini has already adopted a defense-first mentality, a trait he honed during his formative years. “You play team sports, you got to play as a five-man unit,” he explained. “If you’re handling more than what you’re supposed to do, it ruins everyone else’s job.”

Celebrini’s maturity has drawn comparisons to NHL legend Sidney Crosby, who faced similar challenges as an 18-year-old rookie with the struggling Pittsburgh Penguins in 2005-06. Crosby, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, offered advice to Celebrini, urging him to enjoy the journey despite the losses. “I think just enjoy it,” Crosby said. “Nobody likes losing, no matter if you’re in your first year or your 20th year. But you just gotta enjoy it, though it’s your first year, and a lot of new things, a lot of great memories from this year.”

Celebrini has taken Crosby’s words to heart. “I know kind of how to let it go,” he said. However, the losing still weighs heavily on him, as evident in his postgame interviews. Yet, his ability to maintain perspective is a promising sign for the Sharks’ rebuilding efforts.

Crosby, who met Celebrini at a camp in 2023, has been impressed by the rookie’s all-around game. “He’s looking like he’s everything everyone anticipated he’d be,” Crosby said. “He’s really solid in every area. You can tell he cares about doing good defensively, and I’m sure his coaches like to see that.”

As the Sharks continue their rebuild, Celebrini’s development will be crucial. His ability to balance offensive production — 15 goals and 20 assists in 40 games — with defensive responsibility highlights his potential to become a cornerstone player for the franchise.