ELMONT, NEW YORK \u2013 When the puck drops between the San Jose Sharks and New York Islanders on Tuesday night, the NHL needs to be put on notice.<\/p>\n
Sure, this matchup features two unlikely Stanley Cup Playoff teams, but it has the last two No. 1 picks from the NHL Draft<\/a>. <\/p>\n Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini has already been voted as the next Face of the NHL by his peers. His franchise potential and national media coverage for a struggling Sharks team prove that he is one of, if not the best, young superstar in the NHL.<\/p>\n Macklin Celebrini topped Connor Bedard in The Athletic\u2019s player poll for next face of the NHL \ud83d\ude33<\/p>\n One player: \u201cMacklin\u2019s like a cross-breed of Sidney Crosby and Patrice Bergeron. I feel Bedard needs help to be good. Celebrini, I feel it\u2019s like he\u2019s carrying his line, his team.\u201d pic.twitter.com\/7CQnFV4dkR<\/a>\u2014 Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) September 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Islanders star Matthew Schaefer, the 2025 No. 1 pick, is quickly gaining popularity. The defenseman has made top headlines with his draft story and adversity, but his play on the ice has been nothing short of spectacular. <\/p>\n Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.<\/p>\n In five games, the Islanders\u2019 d-man has one goal and four assists. He has one point in every game this season. He is the first NHL defenseman ever to have a five-game point streak from the start of the season.<\/p>\n While Celebrini hasn\u2019t had too much interaction with Schaefer, he recognizes his strong play this season. Celebrini told reporters that they said hi to each other in Toronto last year. The San Jose Sharks star arrived in New York, aware of the storyline between himself and Schaefer.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve all seen how highly everyone\u2019s talking about Matthew and the impact that he\u2019s been able to have on his team. What he\u2019s been able to do in a short amount of time,\u201d Celebrini said. \u201cEveryone sees it, he\u2019s the No. 1 pick, so he gets a lot of attention. It\u2019ll be a challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n Celebrini and the Sharks are still searching for their first win of the season through five games. The Islanders are trying to win a third straight game.<\/p>\n Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.<\/p>\n \u201cLooking forward to playing this team,\u201d Schaefer said to<\/a> Stefen Rosner of NHL.com. \u201cVery talented group, but I say this a lot, we\u2019re focused on what we have in here and we\u2019re ready.\u201d<\/p>\n With Celebrini in year two and Schaefer in year one, the Sharks alternate captain has a slight edge in how to go through his rookie season with tons of attention.<\/p>\n \u201cComes with its own challenges. It\u2019s fun playing games and getting back into the routine, but it is different. It\u2019s just not new anymore,\u201d Celebrini said. \u201cYou can feel a little more comfortable. Buildings you\u2019ve played in before, certain experiences that you\u2019ve learned from. It\u2019s just a little bit different.\u201d<\/p>\n Even San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky<\/a> recognizes the spectacle that Tuesday\u2019s game presents. <\/p>\n Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s pretty electric out there. His skating really sets him apart from what I\u2019ve watched. Dynamic with the puck. Can play in traffic. He fights the panic really well,\u201d Warsofsky said on Tuesday. \u201cFor a young defenseman, as far as getting pressure on him, there\u2019s no panic in this game, which really has jumped out to me.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know what he could do with the puck and offensively, but when you think you have him pinned in a corner, next thing you know, he\u2019s leading the rush and he\u2019s driving the puck through the middle of the ice. [The Islanders] got a special one for a long time. Hopefully, we can keep him quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n Michael Misa<\/a> factors into the face of the NHL conversation, but Celebrini and Schaefer have the special connection of being the No. 1 pick in the last NHL Drafts.<\/p>\n Read more news and stories about the San Jose Sharks on\u00a0Sharks Hockey Digest<\/a>! Bookmark the page and follow Sharks Hockey Digest on Twitter @SharksHKYDigest<\/a>!<\/p>\n Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.
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