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San Jose Sharks Rookie’s NHL Debut Turned into Injury

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The San Jose Sharks welcomed rookies Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith as they took their four laps together around the Shark Tank on Thursday, October 10th. They made their debuts in front of a sold-out crowd in the SAP Center against the St. Louis Blues. However, today we are confirming what was thought, thanks to Elliotte Friedman. Macklin Celebrini did sustain an injury that will cause him to miss at least a week (from Thursday).

Macklin Celebrini Does Have an Injury

Macklin Celebrini comes into the season after being out briefly for a lower-body injury. He had been dealing with a nagging injury throughout training camp and preseason.

It is not confirmed if this injury stemmed from the October 1st game against the Utah Hockey Club. During that preseason game, he had taken a fall near the opposing team’s net and slid into the boards. He continued to play through a few more shifts until exiting at the end of the second period. He ended up not returning for the rest of that game, as well as missing the conclusion of the pre-season schedule. Well it isn’t 100% clear if this was the same injury reaggravated, but regardless, he will be on the shelf. 

Who Could Fill the Hole With Macklin Celebrini Out with Injury

San Jose will take on the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, October 12th for the first time in the regular season. The Sharks had one win over the Ducks along with two losses during the preseason. With Celebrini now missing the Saturday night game, Will Smith makes a top contender to step up. Smith was the fourth round pick of the 2023 draft and started his NHL career alongside Celebrini. He is considered another top prospect player for the Sharks, making him a prime candidate for filling the spot if needed. Moreover, Smith played alongside Mikael Granlund and Fabian Zetterlund. He had two shots on goal, no assists or goals, and averaged 13:41 of ice time.

The Sharks Rookie Proves Why He’s the First-Round Pick

Celebrini comes into the season with impressive stats from his one year at Boston College. After playing in 38 games, he had a total of 64 points (32 goals and 32 assists). He was the youngest to win the Hobey Baker Award, as well as receiving the Rookie of the Year award. While he played in the USHL he received the Rookie of the Year award in 2023, Player of the Year in 2023, and on the USHL First All-Star Team of 2023. To top off his achievements as a player he was on the 2024 NCAA Hockey First All-American Team. Macklin was taken by the San Jose Sharks as the first-round pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft in Las Vegas, NV.

Star Rookie Proving to Be an Asset on the Ice

Celebrini is the youngest player in San Jose Sharks history to score on the night of his NHL debut. Furthermore, Celebrini also became the second-fasted first-round pick to score during his debut. He even started the game by winning the face-off against Robert Thomas from the St. Louis Blues.

Seven minutes into the first period, Celebrini scored the first goal of his career. While celebrating with his teammates he learned that he had been the one to put the Sharks on the board, as he had thought Eklund had been the one to score the goal. Shortly after scoring, he added an assist to Tyler Toffoli’s first goal of the season. Celebrini totaled 17:35 on the ice where he played alongside Tyler Toffoli and William Eklund. However, he did not play the last 3:42 minutes of the third period but was on the ice for overtime.

Celebrini has proven to be a crucial part of the Shark’s success. He reads the game fluently and has scored in both preseason and regular season as well as assisting in his teammate’s success. His dedication to the game is not unnoticed, and if he requires time out, his absence will be crucial to the success of the team. 

Main Photo Credit: Stan Szeto – USA TODAY Sports

The post San Jose Sharks Rookie’s NHL Debut Turned into Injury appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.