The Macklin Celebrini era for the San Jose Sharks got off to a fast start on Thursday.
The forward, selected No. 1 by the Sharks in the 2024 NHL Draft, said he enjoyed the rigorous pace of his first NHL practice set by new coach Ryan Warsofsky.
"I loved it. It was high pace. Lots of action, [and] not much rest. It was go, go, go," Celebrini said. "He pushed our whole group. I loved the intensity that he brought. Nothing but good things after the first practice."
The 18-year-old skated with veterans Tyler Toffoli and Klim Kostin during the scrimmage portion. Celebrini had an assist and a shootout goal against Mackenzie Blackwood.
"I thought ‘Mac’ was really good today," Warsofsky said. "You can see he's put in the work through the summer, and the scrimmage was good."
Sharks general manager Mike Grier said the No. 1 pick showed what he expected: elite talent.
"Yeah, he did well,” Grier said. “I think all the young guys had some jitters, but he did well, pretty much what we expected from him. He played both ends of the rink and made some plays. I think Todd Marchant even mentioned even though he's the first overall pick, early in the scrimmage, he was probably deferring to his linemates a little bit. I think the second half, he kind of settled in and played a little bit more of his game."
The Sharks are rebuilding after finishing 19-54-9 last season and missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fifth straight season.
"I don't really think I'm the reason that this franchise is excited for the next couple years," Celebrini said. "I feel like, between all the guys we brought in, drafted, and our prospect pool -- we went 3-0 in the rookie showcase. It was just a summer tournament, but we have so many great players in this organization."
Toffoli is another of the new additions to the Sharks, signing a four-year, $24 million contract on July 1.
"[Celebrini] was pretty good out there; obviously, it was just the first day," Toffoli said. "Guys are still getting their footing, but [I] thought he was great. You can tell that he has all the skill, and he wants to work. He competes."
Celebrini said the 32-year-old forward was giving him pointers during the scrimmage.
"Just what I should do in different situations around the net," Celebrini said. "Maybe some decisions that I made that I probably shouldn't have, just pointing some things out."
