Sharks Locker Room: The Celebrini Constant

“Every time we think we have a ceiling,” Ryan Warsofsky said about Macklin Celebrini, “we keep pushing the ceiling up. ” That’s been a constant of Celebrini’s career, from USHL to NCAA to NHL. With the Chicago Steel, Macklin Celebrini scored 86 points in 2022-23, the most-ever for a 16-year-old in the USHL, winning Player and Rookie of the Year.

At Boston University, the 17-year-old became the youngest-ever to win the Hobey Baker Award for top NCAA player. With the San Jose Sharks, the 19-year-old just broke Joe Thornton’s single-season franchise record for points. A goal and two assists in a 6-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets gave Celebrini 115 points, eclipsing Thornton’s 114 in 2006-07.

Celebrini is also challenging for the Hart Trophy because of stats like this: He had a hand in 46. 2 percent of his team’s 249 goals, second only to Connor McDavid’s 48. 9 percent for the Edmonton Oilers.

His 115 points is almost double Will Smith’s 59, the largest gap between No. 1 and No. 2 scorer on an NHL team this season.