Sharks Put Top Draft Pick Macklin Celebrini on Injured Reserve With Lower-Body Injury

The 18-year-old forward recorded two points in his NHL debut.
Macklin Celebrini, headed to the injured reserve.
Macklin Celebrini, headed to the injured reserve. / Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini's debut Thursday was impressive, as the NHL's top draft pick recorded a goal and an assist in his team's 5–4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues.

However, any optimism Sharks fans drew from the opener was short-lived. Celebrini is headed to the injured reserve with a lower-body injury, San Jose announced Saturday.

"Week-to-week. That's really all I've got," Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said via the NHL's website. "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 days."

The Sharks are looking to shake off an awful 19-54-9 season—their worst since 1956.

In a bid to do so, San Jose took Celebrini—the Hobey Baker award winner in 2024 for Boston University—with the first overall pick of the NHL draft. Remarkably, the Vancouver native did not turn 18 until June, having played his sole collegiate season as a 17-year-old.


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Patrick Andres
PATRICK ANDRES

Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .