The San Jose Sharks selected Boston University forward Macklin Celebrini with the first overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday.
Celebrini, a dominant force in the NCAA at just 17, went wire to wire as the consensus top prospect. He made history as the youngest player to win the Hobey Baker Award, which is given to the top men’s collegiate hockey player.
While scouts don’t view the Vancouver native as a generational talent like Chicago Blackhawks phenom Connor Bedard, Celebrini’s consistent success at every level and his well-rounded game position him as a future No. 1 center and star for the Sharks.
San Jose legend Joe Thornton announced the pick.
Celebrini said he has not yet decided whether he will return to Boston University or join the Sharks next season.
“I’ve still gotta talk to (general manager) Mike Grier and the San Jose organization and my coaches back at BU,” he said. “But I’ll make a decision soon.”
“We obviously think he’s ready to play in the NHL and would love to have him,” Grier said. “But those are discussions we’ll have with him and his family.”
Celebrini is familiar with the Bay Area. His father, Rick Celebrini, has been with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors since 2018. Macklin even played a season with the San Jose Jr. Sharks at the Under-14 level.
“It’s crazy,” Celebrini said after being drafted. “It’s surreal that life came full circle and that I’m back to where I was.”
Celebrini began solidifying his status as the top prospect in the 2024 class with the USHL’s Chicago Steel. At 16, he led the league in goals (46) and points (86) in just 50 games. He became the first player to win both Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year in the same season since the USHL became a Tier 1 junior league in 2001.
He further impressed at the 2023 World Under-18 Championship, leading Team Canada with 15 points in the seven-game tournament. This set a record for the most points by a 16-year-old Canadian, which was broken by Gavin McKenna this spring. Connor McDavid, Connor Bedard, and Shane Wright previously held the record with 14 points.
The significant USHL season and U18 performance put pressure on Celebrini to excel immediately as the youngest player in college hockey, and he more than delivered.
Draft-eligible players like Jack Eichel and Adam Fantilli have dominated college hockey, but what sets Celebrini apart is his age. Both Eichel and Fantilli turned 18 in October of their draft year, while Celebrini didn’t turn 18 until June 13. The last 17-year-old to score at Celebrini’s level was Craig Simpson in 1985.
Despite Canada’s disappointing showing at the World Juniors, Celebrini was the team’s standout player, despite being its youngest.
It’s rare for someone as young as Celebrini to play in the NCAA, let alone become the league’s best player. He’s excelled at every stage, both domestically and internationally. The NHL is his next step.
What They’re Saying
“(Celebrini) checks every box you want in a top prospect and is one of the few players I’ve scouted where it’s hard to see any noticeable weakness,” The Athletic’s Corey Pronman wrote.
“An all-around center with commitment to defensive play and playing on the interior, Celebrini has skill, competitiveness, work ethic, and hockey sense that is consistent with a top-line center in the NHL,” wrote FloHockey’s Chris Peters.
“He has shown again and again that he has … everything you look for in the mold of a center and has looked like a true star-forward prospect domestically and internationally,” The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler wrote.
