The Detroit Red Wings host the San Jose Sharks and former first overall pick Macklin Celebrini on Friday evening, a matchup they know they can't take lightly.
Despite being one of the lowest-ranked teams in the Western Conference in recent years, the San Jose Sharks have given the Detroit Red Wings a tough time in their most recent visits to Little Caesars Arena.
The Sharks have beaten the Red Wings by a combined score of 12-8 in each of their two most recent matchups in Detroit, which included a wild 6-5 overtime setback in December 2023.
The last time the Red Wings defeated the Sharks on home ice was Jan. 24, 2023, a 3-2 overtime victory with Andrew Copp playing the role of hero.
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This season, the Sharks are showing that they're no longer pushovers, thanks in large part to forward Macklin Celebrini, a 19-year-old phenom whom San Jose selected first overall in 2024.
With an astounding 24 goals and 46 assists for 70 points, Celebrini is proving that he's every bit worth the hype he came with coming into the 2024 NHL Draft.
The Red Wings, who host the Sharks on Friday evening, know that they must always be aware of when he's on the ice.
"He's obviously the main focus," Patrick Kane said of Celebrini following Thursday's practice. "He's the main guy offensively for that team; he's been carrying them all year."
Not yet of legal drinking age in the United States, Celebrini is not only ranked third overall in total NHL scoring, but also was announced as being included on Team Canada's Olympic roster.
Not bad for a 19-year-old.
"His points compared to the next guy on their team show how valuable he's been, and he's got them in a playoff spot now, too," Kane continued. "He'll definitely be the main focus of our attention defensively, and making sure whoever is on the ice is aware of him."
As Kane noted, Celebrini’s 70 points are 38 more than San Jose’s next-leading scorer, Tyler Toffoli, who has 13 goals and 32 total points.
As of Thursday afternoon, Celebrini and the Sharks occupy the second and final Wild Card playoff berth in the Western Conference.
The Red Wings, who defeated the Sharks by a 3-2 final score in a shootout in San Jose on Nov. 2, will be focusing their game plan on how best to neutralize the former first overall pick.
Todd McLellan Hits the Reset Button as Red Wings Shuffle Lines AgainFollowing their 3-0 loss against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, the Detroit Red Wings displayed some new line combinations at Thursday morning's practice. "It's not an easy task because the book on him isn't real big in the NHL; he's taken it by storm and is an incredible player," head coach Todd McLellan said of Celebrini. "But he is starting to show some tendencies that other teams are looking at."
"He's definitely driving that team and creating lots of confidence, and as he elevates his play, others around him elevate their play, and they're a tough team to play against," McLellan continued. "We'll obviously have to be aware of him when he's on the ice and help the players with any type of pre-scout analysis we can give them."
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Category: General Sports
