San Jose Sharks get historic No. 1 draft pick in the draft
FILE ART - San Jose Sharks fans.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - For the first time in team history, the San Jose Sharks will have the No. 1 pick in the draft.
The announcement was made Tuesday and now fans and the mayor are reacting to the news.
Macklin Celebrini is expected to be the #1 pick in the draft, and he’s no stranger to the Bay Area. His family lives here, and he’s already played one year with the Jr. Sharks.
At O’Flaherty’s Irish Pub in downtown San Jose, Sharks fans say they're happy to hear the team will have the top pick in next month’s NHL draft.
"Last season was tough for any Sharks fan. No one likes losing and all you can hope is that they’re building for the future," said Benjamin Nunes, a bartender at O’Flaherty’s Irish Pub.
The Sharks will have the chance to select 17-year-old Celebrini. Sharks general manager Mike Grier says Celebrini has the talent and dedication to play in the National Hockey League.
"There’s probably some six-year-old kids out there skating. So, it’s giving these kids that are playing youth hockey, someone to look up to and say, I can possibly be that kid down the road that was a Jr. Shark," said Grier.
Celebrini’s family moved to the Bay Area from Vancouver back in 2018. His father, Rick Celebrini is a former MLS soccer player and is now the Director of Sports Medicine and Performance for the Golden State Warriors.
"To have him in our own backyard, so to speak, and for mom to bring him a meal every once in a while, or do his laundry, would be a lot of fun," said Rick Celebrini.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan also posted a video message on social media, saying in part: "I'm crossing my fingers and hoping we will be able to welcome back Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks Jr. Alum."
Celebrini, a standout player for Boston University, also received the 2024 Hobey Baker Award, which recognizes the best amateur hockey player in the country.
"We’re able to think about how uplifting it is for this local guy whose dad is working in Bay Area sports and what we can do as a greater community to not just celebrate him but be a part of his team," said Taylor Ford of San Jose.
This year’s draft will be held in Las Vegas on June 28 and 29.