Macklin Celebrini Set for memorable Homecoming Against Canucks with Sharks

Sharks' top pick Macklin Celebrini faces Vancouver, the team he grew up supporting, in a special homecoming game.

Macklin Celebrini has already achieved numerous memorable firsts in the NHL, but competing in his first game in his hometown will surely be among the most significant.

The San Jose Sharks chose the 18-year-old forward as the first overall pick in the NHL Draft of 2024 held in June. He netted his initial goal and recorded his first assist in his debut NHL game on Oct. 10 versus the St. Louis Blues.

“Skating here when I was younger, I kind of tried to put myself in an NHL player’s situation or shoes and pretend to be them and now I’m practicing here and getting ready for the game. It’s pretty surreal,” Celebrini said after practicing at Rogers Arena with the Sharks on Sunday.

On Monday, Celebrini will make his NHL debut facing off against the Vancouver Canucks team he supported throughout last season, in a rink where he skated as a child with his brother, as his father, Dr. Rick Celebrini, was employed by the Canucks. Celebrini not only spent his childhood in nearby North Vancouver, but his father was employed by the Canucks, making the local team and the arena very special to him.

Macklin Celebrini plays his first game back home when the Sharks visit Quinn Hughes and the Canucks during Prime Monday Night Hockey!

Tune in on Prime Video Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) starting at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT). 🇨🇦🏒 pic.twitter.com/tpjHuyvyew
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 23, 2024

He attended in May as a supporter, sitting next to his older brother Aiden to see the Canucks compete against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the Western Conference Second Round in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

This all contributes to his first NHL game in Vancouver being a remarkable event, as 50-60 friends and family will be there to see the game on Monday (9 p.m. ET) It’s a moment Celebrini envisioned repeatedly during his childhood. Celebrini’s father was with Vancouver from 2014 to 2018 before departing to take the role of director of sports medicine and performance for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. He’s “skipping out” on the Warriors for a few days to visit family in Vancouver and watch Macklin play his first game against the Canucks.

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Celebrini’s initial NHL season began like a terrible dream. Injured during his NHL debut on October 10, he sat out the following 12 games due to a hip injury. Since then, he has fulfilled his role as the top pick, amassing 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in his following 23 games, which includes eight points (three goals, five assists) over his last six games. It has assisted San Jose (11-19-6) in regaining momentum following a 0-8-2 start in their initial 10 matches.

The journey home offers Celebrini an opportunity to encounter some players he admired as a fan, particularly Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, the current Norris Trophy holder for the top defenseman in the NHL. The journey home provides Celebrini the opportunity to encounter some players he admired as a fan, particularly Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, the current Norris Trophy recipient for the top defenseman in the NHL.

Macklin continues to visit Vancouver during the offseason, even training with Connor Bedard, the Blackhawks’ top selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, who is also from North Vancouver. However, throughout the season, he has become the rival in Vancouver, turning his former visit to Rogers Arena into a bittersweet experience, initiating a Canucks chant, aware it would be his final time.

Macklin Celebrini

NHL

Anamika Shrivastava

nhl

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