Macklin Celebrini 2024 NHL Draft Profile

It’s that time of the year for The Win Column’s NHL Draft Rankings and Draft Profiles! Earlier this week, we released the TWC consolidated 2024 NHL Draft rankings. The 2024 NHL Draft will take place on June 28 and 29 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

We are starting our draft rankings with the consensus first overall selection in 2024: Macklin Celebrini. Every year there is the face of the draft. The most complete player. A franchise-changing player. This year, that is Vancouver, British Columbia product Macklin Celebrini.

Who is Macklin Celebrini?

Player	Position	Handedness	Height	Weight
Macklin Celebrini	C	L	6’0″	190 lbs

Celebrini’s on-ice production

Year	Draft Relative	League	Team	GP	G	A	P
2019–20	D-4	14U AAA	San Jose Jr. Sharks	54	49	45	94
2020–21	D-3	14U AAA	Shattuck St. Mary’s	50	51	90	141
2021–22	D-2	USHS-Prep	Shattuck St. Mary’s 18U Prep	52	50	67	117
2022–23	D-1	USHL	Chicago Steel	50	46	40	86
		WHC-17	Canada Black U17	4	1	1	2
		WJC-18	Canada U18	7	6	9	15
2023–24	D+0	NCAA	Boston University	38	32	32	64
		WJC-20	Canada U20	5	4	4	8

In 2023–24, Celebrini played for Boston University, where his 59 points ranked third in the entire NCAA. Celebrini set a record for the highest points per game for a 17-year-old in NCAA history at 1.69. For reference, Matthew Wood (drafted 15th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft) and Jonathan Toews (yes, that Jonathan Toews) fall second and third at 0.971 and 0.929 points per game, respectively. Celebrini is in a league of his own when it comes to playing at the college level at the age of 17.

The only players to score at a higher point-per-game pace in 2023–24 were Will Smith and Gabriel Perreault, at 1.73 and 1.67, respectively. Celebrini is a full year younger than both of them. A reminder, the average age for NCAA teams is about twenty-two years old, so Celebrini was this effective while playing against players five years older than him.

If you weren’t impressed with Celebrini’s 2023-24 season yet, he won the Hobey Baker Award to top things off. He is the youngest player in NCAA history to win the Hobey Baker. Furthermore, Celebrini also played for the Canadian World Junior Team this past winter, where he was arguably Canada’s best player during the tournament.

In 2022–23, Celebrini played for the Chicago Steel of the USHL, where he scored 86 points in 50 games as a 16-year-old. Those 86 points are the highest in USHL history for a 16-year-old. Celebrini has the distinction of being the only player in USHL history to win USHL Player of the Year, USHL Forward of the Year, and USHL Rookie of the Year all in the same season. Is that good? Yes, yes it is good.

His 46 goals and 86 points both led the league for that season. Celebrini’s 1.72 points per game was second amongst 16-year-olds at the USHL level, only behind Jack Hughes’ 2.00 points per game in 2017–18. Pretty good company.

The Sharks currently hold the best chances at getting Celebrini, with a 25.5% of winning the draft lottery. Funny enough, Celebrini is familiar with the San Jose area, given he played with the San Jose Jr. Sharks in 2019–20, where he put up 94 points in 54 games. Macklin’s father, Dr. Rick Celebrini, is the Director of Sports Medicine and Performance with the Golden State Warriors of the NBA.

Celebrini’s brother, Aiden, was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft.

Celebrini’s strengths

Complete and detailed oriented game (high hockey IQ)

Whether it’s the cycle game or the rush game, Celebrini has it covered. Celebrini has one of the highest IQs for an NHL prospect in quite some time. He is always a step ahead of the game, anticipating plays before they even begin to develop. And he can do as much without the puck as he can with it. Whether it be drawing the defender to him and opening up space for his teammates, or threading the puck between two opposing defenders to find an open teammate in the slot, Celebrini can do it all.

Compete level

A lot of highly skilled prospects will sacrifice other areas on the ice in the chase of point totals in the offensive zone. Celebrini does not do that. His elite offensive ability is not at the expense of other areas of his game. In fact, he promotes his offensive game through all areas of the ice. Celebrini chips in the defensive zone. He is not afraid to head into the corners and dig at pucks.

If a turnover or giveaway occurs, Celebrini can quickly translate his game to fit the scenario required. Celebrini is not the biggest prospect at 6’0″, 190 lbs, but he plays much bigger than that. He doesn’t get pushed around, even though the competition he’s facing is much older and more physically mature. He already has winning habits at the age of seventeen.

Shot

Celebrini has a wicked release. From any tape or highlight package you watch, you see Celebrini’s shot effectiveness in two places. The most obvious is the perfectly placed one-timers that Celebrini can direct from the right half-wall on the powerplay. The second is his wrister, to which he has an accurate and quick release.

Celebrini also has the ability to get to the dirtier areas of the ice for more effective scoring chances in close. He can score from pretty much anywhere in the offensive zone. He also has the ability to quietly find areas on the ice and disappear from opponent coverage, only to receive the puck and release it into the back of the net with ease.

Celebrini’s areas of improvement

Skating

Celebrini’s skating is the one thing that stands out that could be improved upon. His skating isn’t bad or going to hold him up, but it’s also not at that elite level. However, you can teach and work with a player to improve their stride and edges. You can’t teach a player the hockey IQ and compete level that Celebrini possesses.

Trying to do everything

This is a very common thing with prospects that is usually fixed with maturity. But Celebrini does occasionally try to do too much and gets burned.

Celebrini’s comparables

You never want to compare a player to one of the best players of all time, but his playstyle has garnered comparisons to Sidney Crosby. Now, I’m not trying to say he’s going to be anywhere near the level of Crosby, but the two do look familiar.

Celebrini, like Crosby, is not afraid to get into the dirty areas and make plays, while also possessing an elite skillset in pretty much every area of the ice. Both might not have the highlight reel dynamic ability of say a McDavid, but they are elite at pretty much everything. The completeness and thinking ahead of the game is there.

Another name getting compared to Celebrini is John Tavares, although Celebrini has a leg up on Tavares in the skating department. Like Tavares, Celebrini is a guy that can compete in all areas of the ice, and he’s got a killer shot.

Celebrini has also received comparisons to looking similar to Jonathan Toews when he was a young player. Toews did transition to more of a defensive specialist through his NHL career, but he had an elite toolkit and leadership abilities at a young age, similar to Celebrini now. A reminder that Celebrini’s points-per-game as a 17-year-old in the NCAA (1.69) is significantly higher than Toews’ (0.929).

Fit with the Flames

The Calgary Flames haven’t had a true first line centre since Joe Nieuwendyk. He hasn’t been with the Flames since 1995. It’s been a long time. Macklin Celebrini has all the tools to be that and more. He could be the Flames’ answer at 1C for years to come.

Right now, he would have Nazem Kadri and Mikael Backlund to mentor him for a few years and let him become acclimated to the NHL. If you can add Celebrini, suddenly you are a major step closer to being a playoff team, and potentially a Stanley Cup contender a few years down the line.

In most ways, I think Celebrini is a massive upgrade on Yegor Sharangovich in every aspect of Sharangovich’s current role with the team. Celebrini would factor into Sharangovich’s spot on the half-wall on the first power play, as well as take over first line centre duties.

Given Celebrini’s ability to play in all aspects of the game, I could also see him take on some penalty-killing time. Unlike Sharangovich’s line currently, you wouldn’t have to worry about giving Celebrini’s line high offensive zone starts. He can easily contribute to the defensive aspects of the game and help transition the puck effectively into the opposition zone with ease.

Summary

Macklin Celebrini might not be as dynamic as a Connor McDavid or a Connor Bedard, but he plays a complete and effective game. He will be a solid top line centre for years to come. He has set records in both the USHL and NCAA. Celebrini is better than players who are years older than him. Whether it be the high hockey IQ, skill, compete level, or his shot, Celebrini possesses an elite tool kit. He will be NHL-ready for the 2024–25 season. Congratulations to whichever team wins the draft lottery. They’re getting a superb player.

Risk: 0.5/5

Reward: 5/5

Projection: Elite first line centre

Check out all of The Win Column’s individual player profiles of selected 2024 NHL Draft prospects:

James JohnsonMarch 29, 2024

6 minutes read