The ping-pong balls fell in the Sharks’ favor in the 2024 NHL Draft lottery Tuesday night, awarding the No. 1 overall pick to San Jose for the first time in franchise history.
The Sharks, who have another first-round pick at No. 14 from the Erik Karlsson trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins, are expected to draft Macklin Celebrini, the draft’s top-rated prospect. The 17-year-old center is a special talent, as he registered 32 goals and 32 assists in just 37 games at Boston University this season.
Even better for San Jose: Celebrini has local ties, as he played for the Jr. Sharks during the 2019-20 season, scoring 49 goals and racking up 45 assists in just 54 games for the 14-and-under squad. Also, his father, Rick, is the Golden State Warriors’ director of sports medicine and performance, and the Celebrini family is based in Livermore, just 34 mile