{"id":101994,"date":"2025-12-20T01:30:30","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T01:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/101994\/"},"modified":"2025-12-20T01:30:30","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T01:30:30","slug":"macklin-celebrini-taking-his-game-to-another-level-with-sharks-nbc-sports-bay-area-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/101994\/","title":{"rendered":"Macklin Celebrini taking his game to \u2018another level\u2019 with Sharks \u2013 NBC Sports Bay Area & California"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor’s note:\u00a0Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California\u2019s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on\u00a0San Jose Hockey Now<\/a>, listen to him on the\u00a0San Jose Hockey Now Podcast<\/a>, and follow him on Twitter at\u00a0@Sheng_Peng<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re learning more about Macklin Celebrini\u2026and it\u2019s good.<\/p>\n

Last week at the Pittsburgh Penguins, the superstar center lost his regular right winger Will Smith to an upper-body injury.<\/p>\n

Celebrini, however, hasn\u2019t skipped a beat since Smith\u2019s injury, scoring three goals and nine points since his best friend went down early in the third period at Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s also doing all this with rookie Igor Chernyshov and sophomore Collin Graf on his line. Full respect to the very talented Chernyshov and surprising Graf, but this is not the top line that the Sharks envisioned over the summer.<\/p>\n

But what Celebrini is demonstrating, more so than in his rookie campaign, is an ability to slow down the game and make his teammates better.<\/p>\n

Last year, a trademark of Celebrini\u2019s game was go-go-go, a breakneck pace that pressured opponents with shot volume, slot passes, and hound-like forechecking. While Celebrini is still doing all that, he\u2019s also controlling the pace of the game like a chessmaster, at times.<\/p>\n

Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast<\/a><\/p>\n

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