Another Sharks Legend Welcomes Rookie Into His Home

After Joe Thornton opened his doors to Macklin Celebrini, another San Jose Sharks icon is welcoming another future star into his home.

Apr 11, 2024; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Boston College Eagles forward Will Smith (6) carries the puck in the semifinals of the 2024 Frozen Four college ice hockey tournament during the second period against the Michigan Wolverines at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images / Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images

The San Jose Sharks will be full of young stars for the 2023-24 season with Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith expected to kick off their NHL careers. While they look to earn prominent roles on the ice, they need places to live off the ice.

A couple of Sharks icons have stepped up and have opened their doors to Celebrini and Smith. Earlier reports indicated that Joe Thornton will house Celebrini as he settles into the NHL grind. According to Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now, Patrick Marleau will host Smith as he gets used to Northern California.

Patrick Marleau is joining Joe Thornton in taking in a Sharks rookie this season 👏 pic.twitter.com/rD31hhXUCf

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) September 6, 2024

Celebrini is from Canada, but played for the San Jose Jr. Sharks as a child and his father works with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.

Smith on the other hand is from Lexington, MA and played NCAA hockey at Boston College. This will be his first time away from the eastern United States for such a long period of time.

Marleau spent three different stints with the Sharks over his 23-year NHL career. After being a second overall pick of the Sharks in 1997 (eight years before Smith was born) Marleau went on to play 1,607 games with San Jose.

With 172 games played between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins, Marleau’s 1,779 total games is the most of any player in NHL history. Over the course of his career, he scored 566 goals and 631 assists for 1,197 total points.

Smith has a chance to be a Calder Trophy contender if he takes advantage of the right opportunities given to him in San Jose. In one season at Boston College, he scored 71 points (25G-46A) in 41 games played.

Marleau and Thornton never won the Stanley Cup, but they are hopeful the rookies they are hosting can bring the first championship to the Sharks organization.

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