# Macklin Celebrini

Macklin Celebrini (born June 13, 2006) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played college hockey for the Boston University Terriers. During his freshman season he won the Hobey Baker Award, becoming the youngest player to win the award. Celebrini was selected first overall by the Sharks in the 2024 NHL entry draft.

## Playing career
### Amateur

Celebrini played much of his minor hockey in Vancouver until his father accepted a job for the Golden State Warriors and moved his family to San Jose. Celebrini spent the 2019-20 season with the San Jose Jr Sharks program. Later he signed with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League (USHL) for the 2022–23 USHL season after scoring 50 goals and 67 assists in 52 games playing for Shattuck-Saint Mary's. He quickly earned a hat trick and was named USHL's forward of the week. Celebrini ultimately posted 86 points during the season, leading the USHL, and the most-ever by an under-17 player in USHL history. After helping the Steel reach the USHL's Eastern Conference Finals, Celebrini was named Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Forward of the Year, becoming only the second USHL player to win all three awards, and the first to do so in a single season. Additionally, Celebrini was named to the All-USHL and All-Rookie first teams.
Celebrini committed to play for Boston University starting in the 2023–24 season, playing alongside his older brother Aiden. During his freshman year he recorded 32 goals and 64 points in just 38 games. Following an outstanding season he was named Hockey East Player of the Year, Hockey East Rookie of the Year, Hockey East Scoring Champion and won the Hockey East Three-Stars Award. He also won the Hobey Baker Award. At 17, he became the youngest player to win the award and the fourth freshman, following Paul Kariya in 1993, Jack Eichel in 2015 and Adam Fantilli in 2023.

### Professional

Celebrini was drafted first overall in the 2024 NHL entry draft by the San Jose Sharks. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Sharks on July 6, 2024. In his NHL debut, on October 10, he scored his first goal and recorded his first assist in a 5–4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues. In the first half of the 2024–25 season Celebrini led all NHL forwards in puck battle wins per game.

## International play

Celebrini made his international debut for Canada with the under-17 team in the 2022 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, The following year, he was named to the national under-18 team for the 2023 IIHF World U18 Championships. Team Canada reached the bronze medal match, where Celebrini scored the medal-winning goal in overtime against Slovakia. He then moved up to play with the national junior team at the 2024 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Celebrini led the team in scoring with four goals and four assists, though the tournament ended in disappointment for Team Canada, which was ousted in the quarter-final by the Czech Republic.
Following the conclusion of his debut collegiate season, Celebrini accepted an invitation to make his senior national team debut at the 2024 IIHF World Championship. However, he was subsequently dropped from the roster in advance of the tournament, with the addition of a number of more experienced NHL players whose teams were ousted in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.

## Personal life

Celebrini grew up a fan of his hometown team, the Vancouver Canucks. His father, Rick, was a soccer player for the Vancouver 86ers and later worked for the Canucks. He was later hired by the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) as their director of sports medicine and performance. Celebrini's older brother, Aiden, was drafted by the Canucks in the sixth round (171st overall) of the 2023 NHL entry draft. The two brothers played together for the Boston University Terriers for the 2023-2024 college season.
He is currently living with San Jose Sharks alumni member, Joe Thornton.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2021–22 | Shattuck-Saint Mary's | Midget AAA | 52 | 50 | 67 | 117 | 44 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 12 |
| 2022–23 | Chicago Steel | USHL | 50 | 46 | 40 | 86 | 62 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2023–24 | Boston University | HE | 38 | 32 | 32 | 64 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | — |
| NCAA totals | NCAA totals | NCAA totals | 38 | 32 | 32 | 64 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2022 | Canada Black | U17 | 4th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | Canada | U18 | | 7 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 6 |
| 2024 | Canada | WJC | 5th | 5 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 16 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 6 |

## Awards and honours

| Award | Year |
| USHL |||
| Player of the Year | 2022–23 |
| Rookie of the Year | 2022–23 |
| Forward of the Year | 2022–23 |
| All-USHL First Team | 2022–23 |
| All-Rookie First Team | 2022–23 |
| College |||
| All-Hockey East First Team | 2023–24 |
| Hockey East All-Rookie Team | 2023–24 |
| Hockey East Scoring Champion | 2023–24 |
| Hockey East Three-Stars Award | 2023–24 |
| Hockey East Rookie of the Year | 2023–24 |
| Hockey East Player of the Year | 2023–24 |
| Tim Taylor Award | 2023–24 |
| Hobey Baker Award | 2023–24 |
| AHCA East First Team All-American | 2023–24 |