Celebrini shines in debut: 'He did what everybody expected him to do'

Macklin Celebrini didn’t disappoint in his first National Hockey League game on Thursday night.

The first-overall selection in the 2024 draft scored 7:01 into his NHL career to send San Jose Sharks fans and his teammates into a frenzy.

But Celebrini didn’t even realize that it was his goal.

The North Vancouver native threw a backhand pass into the slot towards a streaking William Eklund, but the puck went off St. Louis Blues defender Matthew Kessel and into the net for Celebrini’s first of his career.

“I was like, ‘Nice goal,’ and [Eklund] was like, ‘I didn’t score, you did,’” Celebrini recalled after the game. “I mean, I thought he was just super excited that he scored, but I guess he was happy for me.”

Celebrini also added an assist on the night, which made him the first No. 1 overall selection to record multiple points in his NHL debut since Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews recorded four goals against the Ottawa Senators in 2016.

At 18 years old, Celebrini also became the sixth-youngest player in NHL history to score in his debut and the fastest to score a goal in his first game since Mario Lemieux scored 2:59 into his debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1984. 

“He did what everyone expected him to do,” teammate Tyler Toffoli said. “He made some really good plays. I think at the end of the day, he’s obviously got to be pumped personally for himself, but he wants to win and he’s like everybody else in here.”

The Sharks couldn’t ride Celebrini’s momentum, blowing a 4-1 lead in the third period to the Blues and losing 5-4 in overtime.

The loss counts as an early learning experience for a young Sharks team that also featured top prospect Will Smith’s first game and head coach Ryan Warsofsky making his NHL coaching debut.

“I thought he was good. Thought he was really good,” Warsofsky said of Celebrini after the game. “Points is one thing. [There are] some things he needs to learn without the puck, him and Will, but I thought they were both solid in their debut.”