Macklin Celebrini, a center at Boston University in Hockey East, is filing a draft diary for NHL.com this season leading up to the 2024 NHL Draft. The 17-year-old (6-foot, 190 pounds) and native of North Vancouver, British Columbia, is No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters. He leads Boston University in goals (23), points (43) and shots on goals (131) in 28 games this season.
Hi, hockey fans.
We have a big two games against the University of Connecticut on Friday (in Storrs, Connecticut) and Saturday (in Boston), so we're looking forward to it.
Coach Jay Pandolfo is stressing to us how important being consistent at this time of the year is. We can't take anything for granted and we’ve got to play the right way all the time, especially in these types of games. If you get an unlucky bounce or something, you’ve just got to come back to what you've been doing all year.
It was a disappointing finish in the Beanpot final (a 4-3 overtime loss to Northeastern on Feb. 12). I thought we played well enough to win but got some unfortunate bounces with how it played out. I felt like we were playing the right way and playing a winning type of hockey, but these things happen, and we've moved on from it.
I think one BU teammate who probably isn't getting the recognition he deserves this season is alternate captain and forward Sam Stevens. Sam has been unbelievable for us. He's kind of the rock of our team and has done everything that he's been asked to do and hasn't got nearly enough praise for it. He's a special player and we're lucky to have him.
I was able to watch the Super Bowl and see Patrick Mahomes win it for the Kansas City Chiefs. It was just fun to watch it with a couple of guys. It feels like every time he's on the on the field, he's going to win it for the Chiefs, so that was neat to see.
I enjoy playing in those clutch moments of any game. I mean, at those moments, I think you just want to win, and you want to do whatever you can to win. When you get put in those situations, I think it's just about bearing down and really focusing on the ultimate goal of helping your team be successful.
Well, that's all for this month. Thank you for reading.
I'll file again next month.
