Editor’s Observe: Sheng Peng shall be a daily contributor to NBC Sports activities California’s Sharks protection. You’ll be able to learn extra of his protection on San Jose Hockey Now, hearken to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and observe him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
“The Sharks have by no means had a participant and chief of this caliber, ever.”
Per one NHL scout who spoke to San Jose Hockey Now, that’s what winning Tuesday’s 2024 NHL Draft Lottery – and making Macklin Celebrini the No. 1 overall pick in June – might imply to the Sharks.
So, might Celebrini have extra of an influence on the franchise than, say, even Joe Thornton?
That scout doesn’t challenge Celebrini to place up factors as Thornton did — Jumbo’s 1,539 factors are the 14th most in NHL historical past — however Thornton, the No. 1 choose by the Boston Bruins within the 1997 draft, needed to develop into a greater two-way middle and as a pacesetter over his Corridor of Fame-worthy profession.
There seems to be a lesser studying curve for the Boston University pivot, in line with three NHL scouts from outdoors the Sharks group who spoke to San Jose Hockey Now.
“Off the ice, his management and work ethic will set a championship-caliber tone,” NHL scout No. 1 mentioned. “He’s a No. 1 middle that may drive scoring and successful.”
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“He’ll be extra of a lead-by-example man, from what I perceive,” NHL scout No. 2 mentioned. “Performs and leads along with his effort on the ice, and that carries weight on the bench and within the locker room.”
NHL scout No. 3 echoed that: “[The Sharks will] be getting a real No. 1 two-way NHL middle. He’s a extremely good particular person, and his teammates gravitate to him.”
“Celebrini is the whole package deal on the ice,” NHL scout No. 2 mentioned. “This draft class is a little bit on the weak aspect, however I believe even in different years, he’s going to stack up nicely with different first general picks, if not higher. Excessive ability and IQ, skating, full consideration to element. 200-foot participant. Performs arduous.
“Arduous to search out any true faults in his recreation, apart from that he’s on the smaller aspect, though he’s fairly strong, listed at 189 kilos.”
Former Sharks coach David Quinn summed up the 6-foot centerman’s potential value after the workforce locked up one of the best odds within the draft lottery final month.
“[He’s] what [the Sharks] wish to be as a company, what the game calls for. He’s acquired excessive, excessive ability, however he’s acquired a hardness to him that enables him to be a special kind of participant,” Quinn mentioned. “Once I watch him, I believe Jonathan Toews loads. Perhaps a little bit bit extra ability.”
Toews, a No. 1 middle in his personal proper, racked up loads fewer factors than Thornton at 883, however he scored greater than 25 targets in a season eight occasions, captained the Chicago Blackhawks to 3 Stanley Cup titles, and received the 2010 Conn Smythe Trophy and the 2013 Selke Trophy.
“[Celebrini] instantly places them on a path to a Stanley Cup,” NHL scout No. 1 mentioned. “Proper now, they’ve zero Cup-caliber [franchise] gamers, in my view. Mack provides them one to construct off of.”
NHL scout No. 3 believes Celebrini ought to unencumber your entire Sharks assault of the long run: “He’d open up [Will] Smith to be extra offensive and would give [Filip] Bystedt third-line mismatches. That’s actually good depth down the center.”
Bystedt was the Sharks’ 2022 first-round draft choose and Smith their 2023 first-round draft choose, so this must be the third consecutive yr that basic supervisor Mike Grier selects his middle of the long run within the first spherical.
The ex-Jr. Shark might be the linchpin to all of it.
“Their participant procurement actions and timeline would change instantly,” NHL scout No. 1 mentioned. “It’s actually unhappy to see what the Tank’s attendance has turn into — he might energize that for the following decade-plus. He turns into the face of the franchise.”
That’s, after all, uh, jumbo-sized expectations for a 17-year-old. The son of Warriors director of sports medicine and efficiency Rick Celebrini will flip 18 on June 13, about two weeks earlier than the primary spherical of the 2024 draft on June 28 in Las Vegas.
“I’d simply be cautious at [projecting] how rapidly younger gamers flip it round,” NHL scout No. 3 mentioned, “as a result of it’s taken Buffalo, Edmonton and different [teams] longer than anticipated after they went younger.”
That’s for tomorrow, although. Right this moment? Sharks followers ought to rejoice: Macklin Celebrini is coming (again) to city.
