Celebrini returns for Sharks against Oilers
'I want to be out there,' says center, who has missed two games with lower-body injury
By NHL.com
Macklin Celebrini returned for the San Jose Sharks against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday (4 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, SNW, SN1) after missing two games because of a lower-body injury.
The 20-year-old took line rushes during pregame warmups Saturday, after being a full participant in practice Friday without taking line rushes.
He took part in warmups Monday before being ruled out for a 5-0 loss at the Dallas Stars and was on the ice for the morning skate Thursday after missing practice the previous two days, but he was held out of the Sharks' 3-2 overtime win against the St. Louis Blues.
“I was optimistic going into warmups, kind of tested it out," Celebrini said Friday about his effort to play Thursday. "I mean, if I wasn't going to be at my best or close to my best, then there was no point to play.
"I mean, if we're being real, I would have played (Thursday). I want to be out there. It killed me not to. After talking to my trainers, it wasn't a smart thing to do, and it wasn't something I should do, so I listed to their advice and their expertise and pulled back. But I mean, trust me, I wanted to be out there more than anyone."
Celebrini had picked up right where he left off last season for San Jose (2-1-0). He had three assists in a 4-3 overtime win against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 1 before following that up with two assists in a 5-4 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
Last season, he ranked fourth in the NHL with 115 points (45 goals, 70 assists) in 82 games.
Selected by the Sharks with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, Celebrini has 183 points (70 goals, 113 assists) in 154 games.
He was named the youngest captain in San Jose history on Sept. 25 and is the youngest active captain in the NHL.
NHL.com independent correspondent Max Miller contributed to this report
