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SAN JOSE — Macklin Celebrini was back on the ice with the San Jose Sharks on Thursday as the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft works his way back from a lower-body injury sustained in the first game of the season on Oct. 11.

“As part of his rehabilitation plan, Macklin will return to team activities today,” the Sharks said in a statement. “He has made positive progress over the past several weeks and this will be the next step toward returning to the active roster. We will continue to monitor his progress but no date has yet been set for his return to game action.”

The 18-year-old center had a goal and an assist in 17:35 of ice time in his NHL debut, a 5-4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 10. He was placed on injured reserve two days later.

The Sharks said on Oct. 12 he would be out week to week, and on Oct. 22, San Jose general manager Mike Grier said Celbrini was skating but another update would be at least two weeks away.

“Injuries happen, right?” Grier said then. “He’s going to miss some games here to start, but I think he’s getting his skill work done off the ice. He’s doing his gym work. I don’t think it’s going to hinder any of his development.

“It’s definitely been helpful for him to spend some more time in the gym, to keep building up his body to get used to the rigors of the League. When he gets back, he’s going to be going against teams’ top pair ‘D’ most nights.”

Celebrini was the youngest player in men’s college hockey last season, when he also became the youngest to win the Hobey Baker Award, presented annually to the top NCAA men’s hockey player. He was second among NCAA players with 32 goals and third with 64 points in 38 games for Boston University.

Celebrini also left practice during training camp Sept. 25 with a lower-body injury and left a preseason game against the Utah Hockey Club on Oct. 1 with the same injury.

“Everyone goes through bumps and bruises throughout training camp,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “I’d say we kind of realized something was more in-depth after that [first] game. It’s a good learning moment for him. Life’s unfair at times. Mentally, he’s good. He was in here today working. It’s the game of hockey, right? There’s going to be injuries. Sure, it won’t be his last injury, and we’ve got to continue to move forward.”

The Sharks, who began the season 0-7-2, have won two straight entering their game against the Chicago Blackhawks at SAP Center on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; CHSN, NBCSCA, SN360, SN).