New hope arrives for San Jose Sharks with No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini despite season opener OT loss

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Macklin Celebrini did not take lengthy to make an impression for the San Jose Sharks.

The 18-year-old rookie scored San Jose’s first purpose of the season and added an help in his first interval as a professional in Thursday night time’s season-opening, 5-4 time beyond regulation loss to the St. Louis Blues, signifying a brighter future forward for a franchise that has been within the doldrums the previous 5 years.

“It was superior,” Celebrini mentioned. “It is every little thing I assumed it will be for my first recreation. It was a tremendous expertise, and I am going to cherish it for the remainder of my life.”

Celebrini’s first profession purpose got here on his third shift and was a lucky one. The previous Boston College star got here in on a rush and did a spin-o-rama close to the boards earlier than attempting a centering move to William Eklund that hit defenseman Matt Kessel’s skate and went previous Joel Hofer on the 7:01 mark.

“I simply tried to faux up after which simply throw one to the center and see if he may get a stick on it,” Celebrini mentioned. “Only a fortunate bounce off the D-man’s skate.”

Celebrini did not even notice he bought credit score for the purpose till teammate Eklund advised him in the course of the celebratory scrum.

MORE: Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini showcases expertise in first apply

The purpose led to a loud ovation and chants of “Celebrini! Celebrini!” from a fan base that has been starved for fulfillment however is energized by a youth motion led by Celebrini, the No. 1 choose on this yr’s draft, and 2023 first-rounder Will Smith.

Celebrini wasn’t executed, including an help later within the first interval on a move from behind the web to Tyler Toffoli.

“He did the identical factor the primary recreation in preseason we performed collectively, too,” Toffoli mentioned. “He is unimaginable, an unimaginable expertise, works extraordinarily laborious. On the finish of the day, he desires to win video games, too, and he will do no matter it takes.”

Celebrini, at 18 years, 119 days, is the sixth-youngest participant to attain in his NHL debut and the youngest since Aleksander Barkov did it at 18 years, 31 days, on Oct. 3, 2013.

He joins Auston Matthews (two targets) as the one No. 1 picks to have a number of factors within the first interval of their NHL debuts. And he is the third-youngest participant to have a multipoint recreation in his debut, becoming a member of Nathan MacKinnon (18 years, 31 days) and Bobby Carpenter (18-86).

“It was cool to get the firsts for each in my profession, however we misplaced so it sucks,” Celebrini mentioned of getting a purpose and an help.

MORE: Sharks signal Macklin Celebrini to entry-level contract

The debuts for Celebrini and the 19-year-old Smith mark the primary time in almost 26 years that the Sharks had two teenagers within the lineup and the primary time any crew had two gamers picked within the prime 4 of the draft make their debut in the identical recreation since Matthews and Mitch Marner did it for Toronto in 2016.

The 2 bought loud ovations after they got here on the ice for warmups, and Celebrini bought one of many loudest ovations throughout pregame introductions.

The Sharks had been one of the crucial profitable franchises within the NHL over a span of 15 seasons, making 14 playoff appearances, 5 journeys to the Western Convention finals and a Stanley Cup Closing look in 2016.

Since attending to the convention finals in 2019, the Sharks have missed the playoffs for 5 straight seasons and bottomed out with a 19-win season in 2023-24 after they posted the worst purpose differential in a season in 30 years.

The prize for that efficiency got here when San Jose received the draft lottery and the appropriate to draft Celebrini, who had 64 factors in 38 video games as a freshman at Boston College final season and received the Hobey Baker Award as the highest faculty participant.

The choose of Celebrini got here a yr after San Jose drafted Smith fourth, and he starred at Boston School final season earlier than additionally becoming a member of the NHL.

Whereas the crew on the ice may nonetheless be just a few years away from contending, the additions of Celebrini and Smith have supplied hope to a Sharks fan base sorely in want of it after seeing stars from the earlier era, resembling Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski, Brent Burns, Tomas Hertl, Timo Meier and Erik Karlsson, transfer on lately.

Data from ESPN Analysis and The Related Press was used on this report.