Over the summer, San Jose Sharks forwards Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith went to Halifax and worked with some of the NHL\u2019s best players. Based on his start to the season, it seems to have paid off.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Among the players Celebrini worked with over the summer was the Colorado Avalanche\u2019s superstar forward Nathan MacKinnon who, like Celebrini in 2024, was drafted first-overall in 2013. The duo were also teammates for Team Canada at the IIHF World Championships in May. During that time, MacKinnon heaped quite a bit of praise of Celebrini, making it clear how highly<\/a> he thought of the young centerman.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s great being around [MacKinnon], on the ice and off the ice,\u201d said Celebrini. \u201cSeeing how he approaches things, his mindset. You see it day to day.\u201d<\/p>\n Celebrini was invited to work out with a group in Halifax that also included the Pittsburgh Penguins\u2019 Sidney Crosby.<\/p>\n \u201cPat Brisson is my agent,\u201d said Celebrini. \u201cHe\u2019s [also] their agent. So I kind of connected [through him].\u201d Celebrini also noted that the group was put together by Florida Panthers team consultant and former Pittsburgh Penguins director of conditioning Andy O\u2019Brien.\u00a0<\/p>\n One thing that stood out to Celebrini was that MacKinnon \u201cchanged his mindset and worked with sports psychologists\u201d early in his career, leading to his current success.\u00a0<\/p>\n