San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, has been placed on injured reserve and is considered week to week with a lower-body injury, the team and coach Ryan Warsofsky announced Saturday.
An injured reserve placement requires a seven-day stay at minimum and that means Celebrini will miss at least three games, including Saturday’s home contest against the Anaheim Ducks. The lower-body injury that he’s dealing with will also keep him out of games next week in Dallas and Chicago on the Sharks’ first road trip.
The earliest that Celebrini can return to action is Friday in Winnipeg. The Sharks do return home for an Oct. 20 game against Colorado.
The 18-year-old did not practice Friday after making a big impact in his anticipated first game, scoring a goal and assisting on another. Playing as the Sharks’ top-line center, the North Vancouver native and reigning NCAA player of the year scored and set up Tyler Toffoli’s goal during the first period Thursday against St. Louis. San Jose would build a 4-1 lead after two periods before the Blues rallied to tie the game in the third and win, 5-4, in overtime.
Warsofsky wouldn’t confirm to reporters if this lower-body issue is related to the one he dealt with in the preseason. Celebrini got hurt during an Oct. 2 exhibition against Utah and was not available for the team’s final two preseason contests. He would return to practice Monday and proclaimed himself fit to play in the team’s opener.
“(He’s) week to week. That’s really all I’ve got,” Warsofsky told reporters after Saturday’s morning skate. “I can’t put a timeline on it, to be honest with you. I think week to week is right around where we’re thinking. We’ll just see how it progresses through his rehab here the next couple (of) days.”
The Sharks have big things in mind for Celebrini after winning the draft lottery in May following a 19-54-9 season where they had the worst record in the NHL. He has been their No. 1 center since the start of training camp and has been centering Toffoli and William Eklund.
Following his two-point debut, Warsofsky said, “We’ve seen it all training camp. Through the rookie tournament. He obviously has a high motor. High hockey IQ. Can make things happen and really quick. And he wants to make things happen every shift. I’m not too surprised.”
MACKLIN CELEBRINI HAS HIS FIRST NHL GOAL IN HIS FIRST NHL GAME!!! 🤩 #NHLFaceOff
📺: @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/S5tPrXCygm pic.twitter.com/y5D0IVrbot
— NHL (@NHL) October 11, 2024
How will the Sharks adjust to Celebrini’s injury?
Mikael Granlund’s value to the team is already coming into play. Because of Logan Couture being hurt virtually all of 2023-24 and Tomas Hertl eventually being traded to Vegas, Granlund was essentially the Sharks’ No. 1 center last season. He’d have a 60-point comeback season in 69 games.
While he played on left wing Thursday, Granlund has extensive experience at center and the 32-year-old Finnish playmaker will take over Celebrini’s spot between Eklund and Toffoli. The Sharks’ corresponding roster move Saturday was recalling defenseman Jack Thompson from the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda but they’ve got extra forwards that can slide into the lineup.
Klim Kostin is expected to draw in Saturday night against Anaheim after being a healthy scratch Thursday. Kostin, a 25-year-old power forward, had five goals and five assists in 19 games with the Sharks after coming to them in a March 8 trade with Detroit.
If anything, Celebrini’s injury puts a dent in his hot start and the Sharks will hope that the teenager isn’t dealing with something that will recur often. A long-term absence could affect his chances of winning the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. This year’s class is a strong one with Philadelphia’s Matvei Michkov, Anaheim’s Cutter Gauthier, Dallas’ Logan Stankoven and San Jose’s own Will Smith as potential candidates.
Required reading
• Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini, 2024 No. 1 pick, notches first goal and assist in NHL debut
• Macklin Celebrini’s big NHL debut: What we saw from the Sharks’ No. 1 pick
(Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
