San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL draft, has been placed on injured reserve and will miss at least the next two games.
Celebrini was put on IR on Saturday, two days after he made history in his NHL debut, scoring a goal and recording an assist in the Sharks’ 5-4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues.
He had been dealing with a lower-body injury during training camp and the preseason and missed Friday’s practice. Coach Ryan Warsofsky said Saturday that Celebrini is considered week-to-week.
The earliest Celebrini could return is for Thursday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks and 2023 No. 1 pick Connor Bedard. Players on injured reserve must miss seven days from the last game they played in.
Celebrini’s goal at the 7:01 mark of the first period was the second fastest for a No. 1 pick in his debut, bested only by Mario Lemieux’s score 2:59 into his first game for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Celebrini was the sixth-youngest player, at 18 years, 119 days, to score in his NHL debut. He added an assist 10 minutes later to become the youngest player in NHL history to record two points in the first period of his debut, according to Sportradar. Shane Doan held the previous mark of 18 years, 362 days, when he got two points for Winnipeg against Dallas in 1995.
The Sharks recalled defenseman Jack Thompson from the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League in a corresponding move. Thompson, 22, has yet to record a point in three career NHL games with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Sharks.
The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.
