Macklin Celebrini will feature a player rating of 82 overall when EA Sports NHL 25 releases for its early access period on Sept. 27.
"I think it's just cool to be in the game," the No. 1 pick by the San Jose Sharks in the 2024 NHL Draft said. "Playing with my buddies growing up, you always play as your favorite players. Now, to be in the game, it is pretty cool to have kids have the same experience."
Celebrini, the 2024 Hobey Baker Award winner voted as the best player in NCAA Division I hockey as a freshman at Boston University, is one point lower than Connor Bedard was as a rookie in NHL 24 after being selected with the No. 1 pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL Draft. This season, Bedard’s rating jumped to 88 overall.
Celebrini sits just outside the game's top 300 players despite a strong starting rating. The 18-year-old forward also missed the cut for being part of NHL 25's top 25 players under 25.
San Jose's highest rated player is free agent acquisition Tyler Toffoli with an overall rating of 86. Mikael Granlund, who led the Sharks with 60 points (12 goals, 48 assists) in 69 games last season, is second with an 85.
NHL 25 will launch worldwide on Oct. 4 across PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
