LAS VEGAS -- Macklin Celebrini was selected with the No. 1 pick by the San Jose Sharks in the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Sphere on Friday.
Celebrini (6-foot, 197 pounds), a freshman center at Boston University, is the first skater from the Hockey East school to be chosen No. 1 and second BU player to go No. 1 since goalie Rick DiPietro was selected by the New York Islanders in 2000.
“Just a surreal feeling,” Celebrini told ESPN after being selected. “I’ve dreamt about this moment ever since I was a kid and for it to come true, it’s an amazing feeling.”
Celebrini, who turned 18 on June 13, was not only the youngest player in men's college hockey this season but also 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 for the Terriers.
The left-handed shot, No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters all season, was named Hockey East Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year, joining Jack Eichel (2015), Paul Kariya (1993) and Brian Leetch (1987) as the only players to win the awards in the same season. He also earned the Tim Taylor National Rookie of the Year Award.
"He's consistently raised that bar for himself, taking his team on his shoulders," NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr said. "He's very similar to what Adam Fantilli (Columbus Blue Jackets) did last year. Someone who could come in, carry that load, deliver like he did as a freshman in the NCAA and win all the hardware, it's truly impressive. We didn't have to spend a lot of travel time going to see him play live. He was delivering to expectations and projections. That's what you love about a player like that ... he's got all those elite qualities about him, and he always delivered."
Celebrini is the fourth player from NCAA men's college hockey chosen No. 1 and first since University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power by the Buffalo Sabres in 2021.
With the No. 2 pick, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Michigan State University defenseman Artyom Levshunov. The Anaheim Ducks took forward Beckett Sennecke, a forward with Oshawa of the Ontario Hockey League, at No. 3.
The Sharks won the No. 1 selection in the NHL Draft Lottery on May 7. Rounds 2-7 are here Saturday (11:30 a.m. ET; ESPN+, NHLN, SN, SN1).
Celebrini said weeks ago he'll determine after the draft whether he will return to BU for his sophomore season.
"I'm not going to sit there with Macklin and tell him, 'I think you really need to come back, I think you need another year'," Boston University coach Jay Pandolfo said. "I believe and I'm pretty confident ... I know he can play in the National Hockey League, no question about it. Are you ever fully ready? I don't know. He's more than capable, but [he] has to weigh all those things. Is it the right time? Will it benefit me going back one more year? Am I ready for that next challenge? There's a lot of things he's got to weigh, and I said to him, 'Listen, I will support you either way, no matter what.'"
Pandolfo then said with a grin, "Obviously, I told him the door is still wide open if he really wants to come back."
Celebrini said one reason he'd consider a return to BU is to help the program win some championships. The Terriers lost to Northeastern in the Beanpot Final (4-3 in overtime), to Boston College in the Hockey East Final (6-2), and were eliminated by eventual champion Denver in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinal round (2-1 in overtime).
"Another year at BU would just give me a little more time to develop; there's no shame or nothing wrong with just taking your time and improving a little bit more, getting stronger, getting bigger and faster," Celebrini said. "Another year would benefit me just to get more physically ready and just make sure I'm very fit and strong when I when I try to make that jump."
One season removed from all the hype and excitement surrounding generational talent Connor Bedard, who went No. 1 to the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL Draft, what impact might Celebrini have if he does play in the NHL next season?
"Celebrini is a bigger body, and not that Bedard (5-10, 185) wouldn't go to the physical areas, but he wouldn't initiate [physicality]," said Central Scouting's David Gregory. "Celebrini does initiate [physicality]. I think Bedard's edges, side to side, are a little better, but Celebrini's good and he may have a little bit more speed.
"They're different players even though you see these numbers and you think, 'OK, are they going to be the same?' They would complement each other really well, but I would never use a comparable of Connor Bedard for Macklin Celebrini."
Who, then, might be Celebrini's best NHL comparable?
"The last guy that comes to mind for me is Jonathan Toews," said Central Scouting's John Williams. "As a 17-year-old, they have similar size and are similar in terms of their ability to play the full 200-foot game. For him to step in and do what he's done is phenomenal, so he deserves all the accolades he's getting."
Celebrini became the second player in the history of the United States Hockey League to win Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Forward of the Year in the same season after leading the league with 46 goals and 86 points in 50 games with Chicago in 2022-23.
"Celebrini and Bedard are different players, but I think you can project that they're going to have a similar impact in the NHL," said Central Scouting's Jean-Francois Damphousse. "Maybe Bedard's shot release is something special that Celebrini doesn't have, but the competitiveness, playmaking, skating, IQ ... elite in every category.
"I think he's going to have an impact in the NHL fairly quickly."
