Celebrini, set for testing at combine, has 'certain look' of future NHL star

The 2024 NHL Scouting Combine is taking place this week at KeyBank Center and LECOM HarborCenter in Buffalo. The combine will allow NHL teams an opportunity to conduct interviews and provide physical and medical assessments of the top prospects eligible for the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft. NHL.com will bring you all the sights and sounds.

BUFFALO -- The San Jose Sharks have plenty to get excited about when it comes to the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft.

The Sharks, who won the NHL Draft Lottery on May 7, have nine picks, including the No. 1 selection and four in the opening two rounds.

Boston University center Macklin Celebrini is the projected No. 1 pick at Sphere in Las Vegas. The first round is June 28 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS).

"Everything you read and hear about ( Celebrini ) is true," San Jose director of amateur scouting Chris Morehouse said on the "NHL Draft Class" podcast. "We did meet with him [Monday] and he's an exceptional kid. He clearly has a great foundation at home, and you can see the drive, the work ethic, the competitiveness. There's a certain look, in my opinion, that the very best have and it's not always there with everybody, and I'm sure you guys covering your hockey can see it, too."

Celebrini had seven interviews with NHL clubs and is expected to participate in all the testing Saturday.

The 17-year-old (6-foot, 190 pounds) was the youngest player in NCAA Division I men's hockey this season and the youngest to win the Hobey Baker Award, presented annually to recognize the top NCAA men's hockey player. He was second among NCAA players with 32 goals and third with 64 points in 38 games.

Celebrini reiterated this week that he'll determine whether he'll return to BU next season at some point after the draft.

"This is the thing working with (Sharks general manager) Mike Grier and the Sharks organization is, you put the kids first and make sure that they're going to be put in the best situation to develop and grow," Morehouse said. "The reality is everyone's going to develop differently, and it's just that their paths are a little bit different. When we look at [Celebrini] and other players, we're trying to get to know how they tick, what makes them operate, and everyone you talk to is just a little bit different."

Back where it started

The journey for West Kelowna forward Jack Pridham will come full circle if he hears his name called on the second day of the 2024 NHL Draft.

"It was a unique situation for me as a kid to experience the draft," the 18-year-old said. "Probably the biggest memory was as a runner for the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2015 draft in Florida. (Forward) Mitch Marner was the No. 4 pick by the Maple Leafs and I was the little guy up on stage. Then, in the 2018 draft in Dallas, I was the runner when (defenseman) Rasmus Sandin got drafted (No. 29) to Toronto. I think moments like that I've carried with me all this time and it's cool to see it come full circle now."

Pridham, the son of Maple Leafs assistant general manager Brandon Pridham, had 49 points (23 goals, 26 assists) in 54 games in his first season in the British Columbia Hockey League. He also had 11 points (eight goals, three assists) in 10 BCHL playoff games and was named to the BCHL All-Rookie Team.

He will play one more season with West Kelowna before continuing his career at Boston University in Hockey East in 2025-26.

"I think another year of development (with West Kelowna) will be good," he said. "I have to continue to get stronger. Another year of juniors is only going to help get me ready for the next level."

Pridham is No. 65 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters.

"I think the BCHL was a good choice for Jack coming out of St Andrew's College (Ontario) where he was a pretty dominant skill player," Central Scouting's John Williams said. "I thought the West Kelowna coach did a good job holding him accountable while giving him plenty of ice time and offensive opportunities."

Jiricek injury update

Adam Jiricek (6-2, 182), No. 4 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of International skaters, expects to be ready for the start of the 2024-25 season after his season was cut short after 19 games with Plzen in the top professional men's league in the Czech Republic when he sustained a season-ending right knee injury playing for Czechia at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship on Dec. 26.

The 17-year-old right-shot defenseman interviewed with 28 teams at the combine. He will not take part in any of the fitness testing.

"It's been four months after surgery and it's getting better day by day," Jiricek said. "I hope to come back stronger and right now I'm working out off-ice. I don't want to rush anything because I have a lot of time until next season and I want to be prepared and be 100 percent. I have a strict offseason plan in place.

"I think I'll be ready for on-ice work sometime in the summer.

Jiricek, the brother of Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman David Jiricek, will turn 18 on June 28, the first day of the NHL Draft. He said he isn't sure where he will play next season.

"I don't know yet; I'm open to any situation and options will come after (the) draft," he said. "I'll probably know it after the draft."

Howe sweet it is

Tanner Howe of Regina of the Western Hockey League made it a point to reach out to former teammate Connor Bedard prior to attending the combine this week.

Howe, who had 77 points (28 goals, 49 assists) in 68 games and was Regina's captain, learned much from Bedard, who was Regina captain in 2022-23 prior to becoming the No. 1 pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL Draft.

"I was in touch with Connor," Howe said. "Just to find out how it's going to be, how it's run, the fitness testing part of it. He told me to work my hardest and just have fun with it."

Howe, who plays a feisty and aggressive game similar to Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand, interviewed with 21 teams this week. The 18-year-old is No. 41 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters.

"I just want to show how very dedicated I am to one day playing in the NHL," Howe said. "I'm really willing to do anything and I'm going to work as hard as I can to do so. I really do like the Marchand comparison ... Patrice Bergeron, too, for his 200-foot solid game. But I love watching Marchand; he's a chippy player, but he plays with so much emotion and is such a hard worker. I like that."