Connor McDavid unveils Macklin Celebrini truth bomb before Oilers vs. Sharks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It always takes a person who has been experiencing greatness to see which new talents are also going to be generational in the NHL. While many know that Connor McDavid is the face of the league, Macklin Celebrini could be next in line for that throne. The rising star has certainly caught the eye of the all-time great. It will all come down to when the Edmonton Oilers face off against the San Jose Sharks.
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San Jose star gets praise from the Edmonton legend
Ahead of their Thursday clash, McDavid has bee up against Celebrini thrice. There is no surprise that the Oilers have won over the Sharks every single time since these two faced each other on the ice. Furthermore, the NHL legend leads the rising star 8-1 in points which leaves a huge chip on the shoulder of the latter.
Despite all of this, McDavid has a lot of respect for Celebrini. In fact, the Oilers superstar has found something unique about the youngster, via Derek Van Diest of NHL.com.
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“He seems to play a full, complete game. I think the biggest thing is, he battles hard, and you don’t see that every day in a 19- or 20-year-old. He’s obviously got a good grasp of this league right away and knows what it takes to be successful, and that’s a great thing at a young age,” he said.
The 2024 first overall pick has surely not disappointed in his second season. Celebrini has now scored four points on four different occasions throughout his NHL career as a teenager. He tied Jimmy Carson’s record for that and he is also setting his sights in shattering Dale Hawerchuk or even Sidney Crosby’s feat at that age. Clearly, McDavid is ecstatic to see how much the Sharks have skyrocketed Celebrini into stardom.
“He’s a young guy that is fun to watch, exciting to watch. Obviously, they’re a team that’s feeling pretty good about themselves, they have a good thing going, a good vibe about them. It’s pretty impressive to see that whole team come together,” McDavid declared. “He’s driven, it seems like. You could tell even last year playing against him, he plays hard. He plays not a typical teenager game. He’s dug in on face-offs, wins puck battles and does all the little things a veteran does. It’s been impressive.”
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Before both of them head to represent Canada in the Milano Cortina Olympics, will the Sharks finally triumph over the Oilers with Celebrini leading the charge?
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