Macklin Celebrini is a special hockey player.

If that much wasn’t clear after the former Boston University star notched 63 points in 70 games last season for the San Jose Sharks as an 18-year-old, Celebrini has made it abundantly clear this season. He not only has mind-boggling 33-57-90 totals in 62 games for the Sharks, Celebrini forced himself on to the star-studded Canadian Olympic team, where he took a back seat to no one, including his linemates, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. Before he can legally buy a High Noon, Celebrini has put himself in the Hart Trophy conversation.

As Marco Sturm prepared his Bruins to play Celebrini and the Sharks after Thursday’s morning skate, the coach promised to give the former Terrier the star treatment.

“It’s pretty impressive to see a kid like that. Being on the east, it’s tough to follow those players. But when you see a player like him on a line with McDavid and MacKinnon – and they want to play with him – for me that’s pretty impressive. That just shows how good he is,” said Sturm. “For us, you have to keep an eye on him. I almost treat him like a McDavid already. You’ve got to know when he’s on the ice and we’ve got to do our best.”

While he is already one of the top players in the best league in the world, as well as a draw for the NHL, Celebrini seems unaffected by it all. Perhaps he’s aided by playing in a somewhat non-traditional hockey market in northern California when it comes to dealing with the off-ice attention. But that doesn’t help him once the puck is dropped.

“I would say he’s very unusual. The moment doesn’t get too big for him,” said Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky. “The star power and the pressure, the microscope that’s on him, he just plays and competes and he gets prepared. I think his preparation really helps him with that. He puts everything else aside and gets ready for hockey games. He wants to be great and that’s what the great players do.”

Though he was a short-time Bostonian – he went pro after his freshman year at BU and no one could blame him – he does enjoy coming back. He attended the Terriers’ win over Vermont in the Hockey East playoffs on Wednesday

“It’s cool. With my brother (Aiden, a Terrier defenseman) and all my college teammates here, it’s super special just to get to see them and even just going to the game (Wednesday) night,” said Celebrini.

Celebrini hasn’t exactly shown any fatigue since returning from the Olympics. In seven games going into Thursday, he’s got 5-4-9 totals and goals in his previous four games.

“It’s great. I think I learned some things over there from those guys and (coach Jon Cooper), just the right way to play and the mindset you need to have,” said Celebrini.

He’s also developed some chemistry with former Comm. Ave rival, Boston College and Lexington product Will Smith, who has had as many points this year in 49 games (45) as he did in his rookie season in 74.

“They’re close not only the ice but off the ice,” said Warsofsky. “Their chemistry, it looks like that have eyes in the back of their heads sometimes with the way they can make plays. What’s special about them is how competitive they are. And they’re different. Macklin you could see it and it comes through his pores. Smitty is a quiet competitor. So I think they balance each other out really well.”

Warsofsky said the Smith’s improvement from his first year to his second did not happen by accident.

“He’s one of the most coachable players that I’ve been around as far as watching video, whether it’s with myself or with one our coaches, and understanding and showing some accountability towards it in that he needs to be better in some areas,” said Warsofsky. “He’s done a really good job in that in the early part of his career. He’s going to keep getting better and stronger and quicker. But I think he loves playing in Boston and playing in this arena.”…

Alex Steeves drew into the B’s lineup while Mikey Eyssimont was set to come out, jumping onto the line with Morgan Geekie and Fraser Minten.

“I just try to get everyone involved. Mikey didn’t do anything wrong. I just want to get Steevie into the mix. When he had that stretch when he played his best hockey it was because of his forecheck so hopefully he can do that and create some turnovers for a guy like Minten or Geeks,” said Sturm.

Steeves was getting in just his second game since the Olympic break.

“That’s the job, right? You’ve got to be ready when called upon. I’ve been working hard when I haven’t been in,” said Steeves, who signed a two-year extension in January.

Steeves didn’t sugarcoat how he felt about his time in the press box.

“I don’t like it. I can tell you that. It sucks. I don’t want to be out of the lineup,” said Steeves. “But I’ve been out and I try to be a good teammate and work as hard as I can. Guys have been great so I’ve been supporting them. But it sucks.”…

Warsofsky remembers coming to the Garden with his father when he was a young kid. But his Bruin fandom took an inside track in the 2003-04 season when fellow Marshfield native Mike Sullivan became the head coach.

“I got to come to some morning skates. I remember the first time I came to a morning skate, it was Patrice Bergeron’s first year. It was an optional skate and Patrice was out there. Sergei Samsonov, who had become really close with in the Carolina organization, being around those guys and being in the dressing room talking to Sully, that was my biggest memory. It was probably the best day of my life looking back,” said Warsofsky. “Now I see my son being around the locker room and he thinks it’s just part of his life and he doesn’t know how special he has it. So that was a big day. I got out of school early and got to go to morning skate.”

The B’s made another minor league trade on Thursday, dealing Massimo Rizzo, whom they had just obtained last Friday, and Dalton Bancroft to Nashville for 6-foot-3, 213-pound Navrin Mutter, who had one assist and 72 PIMS in 27 AHL games this year..

David Pastrnak was excused from the B’s morning skate after he and his wife Rebecca welcomed a baby girl