Over the summer, San Jose Sharks forwards Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith went to Halifax and worked with some of the NHL’s best players. Based on his start to the season, it seems to have paid off.
Among the players Celebrini worked with over the summer was the Colorado Avalanche’s 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 he thought of the young centerman.
“It’s great being around [MacKinnon], on the ice and off the ice,” said Celebrini. “Seeing how he approaches things, his mindset. You see it day to day.”
Celebrini was invited to work out with a group in Halifax that also included the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby.
“Pat Brisson is my agent,” said Celebrini. “He’s [also] their agent. So I kind of connected [through him].” Celebrini also noted that the group was put together by Florida Panthers team consultant and former Pittsburgh Penguins director of conditioning Andy O’Brien.
One thing that stood out to Celebrini was that MacKinnon “changed his mindset and worked with sports psychologists” early in his career, leading to his current success.
According to a 2021 article by Peter Baugh of The Athletic, MacKinnon started working with Marcin Goszczynski, a performance rehabilitation specialist that he met through Sidney Crosby, during the 2017-18 season. On top of his work with Goszczynski to keep his body in peak condition, MacKinnon eventually brought a sports psychologist into the mix as well.
During the 2016-17 season, MacKinnon recorded 53 points in 82 games. In his first season working with Goszczynski, his production jumped to 97 points in 74 games.
It looks like working with MacKinnon and the rest of the Halifax group has helped Celebrini so far this season. The San Jose Sharks’ young star had an impressive rookie season, scoring 25 goals and totaling 63 points in 70 games. This season, he’s taken a major step forward to kick off the campaign. In the first 11 games of his sophomore season, Celebrini has scored six goals and tallied 17 points.
Celebrini and his San Jose Sharks will face MacKinnon and the Avalanche on Saturday afternoon in a matinee matchup.
San Jose Sharks (3-6-2)
Head coach Ryan Warsofsky will share line-up details at about 10:30 AM.
Colorado Avalanche (7-1-4)
Mackenzie Blackwood is expected to make his season debut.
Get your Colorado Avalanche lines and updates at Colorado Hockey Now.
Where To Watch
Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche is at 1 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.