While American Thanksgiving is a checkpoint during the NHL schedule, that’s not a major concern for the San Jose Sharks this season. They are near the bottom of the standings and are focused on improving from last season and seeing positive results from their young players. No one draws more focus than the Sharks’ last two top selections, Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. These two forwards are part of the core of the team’s future success, and their early play offers some indication of strengths, weaknesses and next steps. With Thanksgiving now passed, here’s a look at where Smith and Celebrini stand.
Celebrini Emerging as Skilled Two-Way Forward
After shaking off an injury that caused him to miss 12 games, Celebrini is showing exactly what the Sharks hoped he would contribute when they drafted him first overall this summer. He is scoring at nearly a point-per-game rate, demonstrating both a lethal shot and control of the puck that allows him to create space for his teammates.
Celebrini’s talent isn’t just limited to his goal contributions. He has been among the NHL’s best at winning puck battles and executing zone entries, both areas where the Sharks have struggled in recent seasons. He is proving to be a strong defender with superb back-checking and a high hockey IQ, which allows him to constantly find the right spot on the ice. Add that he’s just 18 years old, and he becomes perhaps the main source of optimism for the future of the franchise.
Celebrini will need to maintain this level of play for an entire season, but he’s never played an 82-game campaign before. However, just over the quarter mark, he’s off to an ideal start.
Smith Gradually Making Progress
Smith’s time in the NHL got off to a slow start. He didn’t score a goal until his ninth game and didn’t manage an assist until his 11th. He had plenty of stretches of making good players and others where he wasn’t impacting the game much at all. The coaching staff tried plenty of ways to get him going, from shifting his role on the power play to changing his linemates to moving him to the wing, as his lack of scoring was negatively impacting the team and harmed Smith’s confidence as well.
Related: The NHL Playoff Bubble at Thanksgiving: What Stands Out?
Over time, he has improved his productivity — including several multi-point games — and he has looked more confident in the process. He might not be capitalizing on every opportunity, but even his misses are more positive. A lot of his shots are good looks requiring a good save from the opposing goalie, and he’s making a lot of clean passes that his teammates can’t quite finish. The results on the scoresheet should come in due time.
Smith is still developing and hasn’t warmed up to the NHL game as much as Celebrini yet. His status is evident from the “development days,” when the coaches scratch him from the lineup to work on his game and ease him into the months-long NHL season, a far cry from the 41 games he played at Boston College last season. But even in the short time he has been a professional, he has made strides in both his scoring and overall performance. He has a lot of work left to do, but if he stays on this trajectory, he will have a highly effective career.
Celebrini and Smith Beginning Their Journeys Together
Although they were drafted a year apart, Smith and Celebrini are both rookies and supporting each other through the ups and downs of their first NHL seasons. Their bond is apparent on the ice, with increasing power play time together, as well as off the ice, where their friendship shines through in interviews and on social media. Their chemistry will help keep up team morale and produce better results, which should only improve as the season continues.
Adjusting to the professional level can be difficult for anyone, but Celebrini and Smith seem to have a support system in place that is making the transition as smooth as possible, and it starts with their connection. Soon, they hope to team up with the rest of the up-and-comers in San Jose’s system and turn the Sharks into a consistent playoff team and, eventually, a champion.
