San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL draft, is being evaluated for a lower-body injury and missed the team’s practice Friday.
Coach Ryan Warsofsky said he didn’t know if Celebrini would be available for the Sharks’ home game Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks because he was being evaluated. Celebrini had been dealing with a lower-body injury during training camp and the preseason. Warsofsky didn’t provide additional comment on the circumstances.
Celebrini, 18, made history in his NHL debut, scoring a goal and an assist in the Sharks’ 5-4 overtime loss at home to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday.
The goal came 7:01 into the game, when he tried a pass from the right circle to teammate William Eklund in the slot. The puck deflected off Blues defenseman Matt Kessel’s leg and went past goaltender Joel Hofer.
It was the second-fastest goal for a No. 1 pick in his debut, bested only by Mario Lemieux’s score 2:59 into his first game for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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Celebrini is the sixth-youngest player, at 18 years, 119 days, to score in his NHL debut.
He added his first assist to Tyler Toffoli at the 17:14 mark of the first period.
Last season, he was a freshman at Boston University. Celebrini had 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games. At 17, he became the youngest player to win the Hobey Baker Award, voted as the top men’s player in the NCAA.
