© Jessi Pierce

LAKE ELMO, Minn. — Macklin Celebrini is finding it difficult to wait for his first NHL training camp with the San Jose Sharks next month.

“The excitement couldn’t be greater,” said the 18-year-old center, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, at the Hobey Baker Memorial Tournament at Royal Golf Club on Thursday. “I had been considering their pool of prospects, the additions they made, and the incredible talent of those players. Also, with the team they have in the front office, my excitement is through the roof.”

The winner of the 2024 Hobey Baker Memorial Award for being the top player in NCAA men’s hockey, Celebrini, signed his entry-level contract with the Sharks on July 6, choosing to skip his sophomore season at Boston University. Following the development camp in San Jose, which took place from July 2-4, he has been training at his home in North Vancouver, British Columbia.

“He expressed enthusiasm for his new team’s trajectory, saying, “I feel like they’re really moving in the right direction. I’m excited about what the future holds.”

The Sharks are focused on flipping the script after finishing last in the NHL (19-54-9) in 2023-24 and failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fifth straight season. Besides Celebrini, they made several significant additions, signing forwards Tyler Toffoli (four-year contract) and Alex Wennberg (two years) on July 1 and claiming two-time Stanley Cup winning forward Barclay Goodrow off waivers from the New York Rangers on June 24.

Will Smith, a 19-year-old center prospect, was chosen as the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Smith set a freshman record at Boston College by leading the NCAA with 71 points (25 goals, 46 assists) in 41 games last season. His contributions also helped the Eagles make it to the national title game, where they unfortunately suffered a 2-0 loss to the University of Denver.

“Celebrini spoke highly of Smith, whom he first met at a development camp. “He’s a remarkable person and we immediately clicked,” said Celebrini. “Working together will be enjoyable. We share the same vision of propelling this team and organization to the greatest heights possible, which is fantastic.”

Last season, Celebrini accumulated 64 points, with 32 goals and 32 assists in 38 games. At the age of 17, he became the youngest player ever to receive the Hobey Baker Award. He ranked second in the NCAA for points per game (1.68) and goals, and third for overall points.

He stated post-development camp that he’s still honing his 200-foot game and focusing heavily on wall play. He acknowledged that there is significant pressure in trying to transform the Sharks’ performance. However, he asserted that he couldn’t be more prepared for the challenge.

“Celebrini stated, “The idea of failure doesn’t cross your mind before you even begin. Our aim is to win as many games as we can. Entering a season with the anticipation of losing games is not the attitude we adopt. I believe that’s the mentality we’re going to maintain. With the team we have and the outstanding moves we’ve made in the offseason, we’re capable of doing it.”

This is my debut training camp and I’m certainly feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement. However, I believe it’s important not to let these emotions overwhelm you, but rather use them as fuel. Ultimately, I need to concentrate on managing what is within my control, and trust that the rest will fall into place. That’s currently my main focus.