How scout believes Sharks should handle Celebrini NHL decision

How scout believes Sharks should handle Celebrini NHL decision originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area

There was no very dramatic verdict regarding the Sharks Macklin Celebrini Selection as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

But that doesn’t mean that the organization doesn’t still have an important choice to make soon – a choice that could have a major impact on Celebrini’s development.

In the coming weeks and months, the Sharks and Celebrini will work together to decide whether the top prospect will return to college for a second season at Boston University or join San Jose immediately to begin his NHL career.

In an ESPN report on Sundayan anonymous NHL scout shared his thoughts on how the Sharks should handle Celebrini’s decision for the 2024-25 season.

The scout told reporter Kristen Shilton that Celebrini not playing for the Sharks next season would be a “shock” given the player’s high potential in the long and short term.

“If [Celebrini] wants to be in the NHL, and the Sharks can see that his development is there, it only makes sense to move forward,” the scout explained in the report. “You chose it for a reason, and it’s to build around it now.”

On the one hand, the Sharks’ front office doesn’t want to harm Celebrini’s development by pushing him into the NHL and shaking the confidence of a skater who just turned 18.

At the same time, Celebrini had just one dominant freshman season at BU, during which he racked up 32 goals and 32 assists on his way to becoming the youngest player ever to win the NCAA’s highest honor – the Hobey Baker Award . Celebrini may already be past the college level and would make much more if he graduated early to the NHL.

This scout seems to agree with the latter mentality.

“He will be a good player for a long time,” the scout added. “There’s no reason he can’t start showing that at the NHL level now if that’s what he feels ready for.”

No matter where the No. 1 pick plays next season, his development will certainly be monitored.

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