Macklin Celebrini poses for a portrait after being drafted by the San Jose Sharks with the first overall pick during the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Sphere on June 28, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
(Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Hockey Club is set to face off against the San Jose Sharks in the opening matchup of the Rookie Tournament this afternoon. Here is everything fans need to know about Utah’s opponent.
THE UTAH HOCKEY CLUB PLAYS TODAY.
Hockey is here!
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) September 13, 2024
Joining the league during the 1991-92 season as an expansion team, the San Jose Sharks have been a staple of professional hockey in the Bay Area for more than 30 years.
During their existence, the Sharks have had a lot of ups and downs including multiple rebuilds, several eras of real contention and a handful of division and conference banners. Overall, San Jose has six division championships, one Presidents Trophy, one conference championship but has never lifted the Stanley Cup.
The closest they’ve ever come to winning Lord Stanley was back in 2016 where they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the final in six games.
Notable players for the franchise include Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Jonathan Cheechoo, Bill Guerin, Brent Burns and Logan Couture among others.
Dating back to the 2022 season when the club hired former player Mike Grier to serve as their new general manager, Grier issued a complete overhaul of not only the roster but also appointed a new head coach.
Following a few seasons as one of the worst teams in the NHL, the Sharks are beginning to emerge from their initial rebuild after acquiring several highly coveted draft selections such as Will Smith and 2024 first overall pick Macklin Celebrini.
The Sharks also made a significant trade to improve their goaltending by acquiring former Predators young netminder Yaroslav Askarov over the summer.
With a few years of development, the Sharks may be true competitors in four or five seasons if everything goes right.
As previously mentioned, the Sharks have acquired some incredibly talented players over the past few years and both Smith and Celebrini are expected to play against Utah.
John McCarthy confirms Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini will play in the first rookie faceoff game #SJSharks
— Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) September 11, 2024
Drafted No. 4 overall in 2023, Smith was arguably the most talented puck handler in last year’s draft and seems to create jaw-dropping plays anytime he steps onto the ice.
Last season, he scored 26 goals with 46 assists in just 41 appearances for Boston College. It doesn’t matter where he is or how well-covered he appears to be, Smith is flat out dangerous and can turn absolutely nothing into a scoring opportunity for himself and his teammates in the blink of an eye.
As for 2024 No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini, he’s drawn comparisons to NHL legend Sidney Crosby as he possesses a similarly balanced and incredibly dangerous offensive game. With ridiculous shot accuracy and power, paired with elite creativity, it’s no surprise that Celebrini was the clear first selection this season.
Between these two talented young prospects, Utah’s defensive unit led by Maveric Lamoureux will certainly have their hands full for all three periods.
Related: Instant Takeaways From Utah Hockey Club’s Rookie Camp: Day Two
Fans can watch these prospects in their first game with the Utah Hockey Club on September 13 against Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks during the rookie tournament. All rookie tournament games will be live streamed for free on UtahHockeyClub.com.
