Macklin Celebrini wasted no time showing he belongs in the NHL, but did the Sharks superstar center have any kind of "welcome to the league" moment that most rookies typically encounter in their first season?
The 2024 NHL Draft's No. 1 overall pick revealed it was a collection of events rather than one particular moment that stood out as Celebrini adapted to playing at the next level.
"I don't think so, I think it was just more every night you're playing against the kind of guys you grew up watching, idolizing and wanting to be like," Celebrini told NBC Sports California's Alan Hoshida in an exclusive interview. "I mean now it's pretty normal, now it's just kind of what you have to do, but at the start it was kind of a little bit eye-opening."
Now that Celebrini is facing off with those same players he grew up idolizing, the 18-year-old phenom has been able to parlay that first-hand experience into valuable learning opportunities.
"I mean, you can learn from any player on the ice. There's a reason that there are players in this league that are the best," Celebrini told Hoshida. "I think that the more you can learn from other guys, I think the NHL is one of the biggest copycat leagues where you see someone do something and it works, and then everyone tries to do it because everyone is trying to find a secret advantage. So, I think the more you can learn, take from other guys, even the subtleties, it's big."
Those learning opportunities aren't just limited to matchups with star players on opposing teams, as Celebrini has leaned on the valuable insights of some of his veteran Sharks teammates.
"One hundred percent," Celebrini told Hoshida. "It's just little pointers, different situations, for me being a forward [I] ask [Mikael Granlund], [Tyler Toffoli] and some of those guys that have just been around the league for a little bit and picked up tips and tricks from who they played with."
San Jose Sharks
Celebrini clearly has been putting that advice to good use, as he finds himself entrenched in a firm position to challenge for the coveted Calder Trophy, given to the NHL's most outstanding rookie.
The 18-year-old leads all NHL rookies in goals (18) while tying with Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson for the league lead in points (42) among first-year players.
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Already proving to be a generational-level talent, it's hard to imagine just how high Celebrini's ceiling ultimately could be.
However, one thing is certain: He will take every opportunity to elevate his game, which is wonderful news for Sharks fans, and a warning to the rest of the NHL tasked with slowing him for the foreseeable future.
