Macklin Celebrini, who is expected to go first overall in the 2024 NHL draft, won't have a choice of where he wants to play, but his family for someone specific.
While Macklin Celebrini has played for US based teams for the past two seasons, he is Canadian, and was born and raised in North Vancouver. HIs favourite team growing up was the Vancouver Canucks, while his father Rick played soccer for the Vancouver 86ers and later worked for the Canucks. With the Canucks getting ready to head into the playoffs, it would take a miracle of miracles for them to land Celebrini in the draft, and his family knows that. But, there's another excellent option.
Rick Celebrini is now the director of sports medicine and performance for the NBA's Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, California, a position he's held since 2018. He says the prospect of the San Jose Sharks drafting his son is very exciting.
While nothing is a sure thing, the San Jose Sharks have had one of the worst seasons in the NHL's modern era. The team has 47 points with three games left, and sits at the very bottom of the league. The team will have the best shot of winning the first overall pick in the draft lottery, meaning the best chance of landing Celebrini.
Rick Celebrini told NCS Sports that, while he doesn't want to get his hopes up too much, he believes hockey in California has grown by leaps and bounds since he's been there, and having his son be part of it would be amazing.
