SAN JOSE – San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini made more progress Tuesday from an undisclosed ailment, but will need to go through at least one full-contact practice before he can play in one of the team’s final preseason games.

Celebrini, who came down with an illness at the start of training camp, practiced in a non-contact orange jersey on Tuesday morning and took part in a team-wide scrimmage.

Celebrini is slated to practice again on Wednesday, and if he can get through that without any contact restrictions, it would open the door for him to play in one of the Sharks’ final two preseason games, and he wants to dress for at least one.

“I feel good with where I’m at right now,” said Celebrini, who said he’ll be ready for the Sharks’ regular season opener on Oct. 9 at home against the Vegas Golden Knights. “It’s been a full summer of work, so I think it’s just getting ready for what’s coming.”

While Celebrini will likely not be available to play on Wednesday against the Anaheim Ducks at SAP Center, he appears to be on track to dress for at least one of the Sharks’ final two preseason games. San Jose travels to face the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday and the Utah Mammoth on Saturday.

“It was a good day,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said when asked about Celebrini. “We’ll see how he progresses, and I’ll check with the training staff. But it was a good day.”

For Tuesday’s practice, Warsofsky moved Philipp Kurashev to left wing alongside Celebrini and Will Smith. The versatile Kurashev, who spent some time alongside Connor Bedard the last two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, had played center for most of training camp.

Kurashev won four of 12 faceoffs and had two shots on net in close to 17 minutes of ice time in the Sharks’ 3-2 loss to the Ducks on Monday in Anaheim.

Warsofsky said he’s taking a look at some options with only a few days left in camp.

“I liked (Kurashev’s) game,” Warsofsky said. “Competed hard, and I think he and (Celebrini) can complement each other pretty well. I thought (Smith), that might have been his best day today through training camp, so that was a step in the right direction.

“We’ve got to start some building chemistry. If you look at it, we’re limited with practice time going forward. So every time we’re on the ice, every time we’re (doing video work), we’ve got to get going here.”

The Sharks are scheduled to have a team day off on Thursday and practice on Friday in San Jose before flying to Las Vegas.

DELLANDREA’S NIGHT 

Warsofsky said he was also impressed with how forward Ty Dellandrea played against the Ducks. As one of the more experienced players on the roster, Dellandrea led the Sharks with six shots on net and six hits to go with winning seven of his 10 faceoffs. He also helped kill four of five Sharks penalties and led all forwards with 18:10 of ice time.

“I thought it was the best game I’ve seen him play in a Sharks uniform,” Warsofsky said of Dellandrea, who is competing for a roster spot after he had eight points in 68 games with San Jose last season. “He was effective, he impacted the game, and that’s what we’re asking: impact the game.

“(Dellandrea) is well aware where he is right now as his role gets defined, and every time you’re on the ice, you get a choice, and he’s done a really good job. He wasn’t great (in Sunday’s game against the Golden Knights). He went back, he realized it, found his game, found his legs. Proud of him. He was pretty impressive.”

The Sharks allowed goals to Cutter Gauthier, Radko Gudas, and Frank Vatrano in a span of 2:51 to fall behind 3-0 by the 9:13 mark of the second period. Forward Pavol Regenda scored a power play goal at the 13:29 mark of the second to cut Anaheim’s lead to 3-1. Center Adam Gaudette got the Sharks to within one with his first goal of the preseason as his shot from near the slot got past Husso with 4:01 left in regulation.

Goalie Jakub Skarek played the first half of the game for the Sharks and made 13 saves. Gabriel Carriere, who split time between the Barracuda and the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder last season, played the second half of the game and made 14 saves without allowing a goal.

CAMP CUTS

The Sharks officially returned nine players to the Barracuda on Tuesday, and now have 41 players in camp. They will need to reduce their roster to 23 players by Monday.

Sent down to the AHL were forwards Filip Bystedt, Igor Chernyshov, Kasper Halttunen, and Oliver Wahlstrom, defensemen Cole Clayton, Jake Furlong, and Braden Hache, and goalies Carriere and Matt Davis.

Bystedt played in his first full year in North America last season and had 31 points in 50 games with the Barracuda, and could get the opportunity to be the AHL team’s No. 1 center this season. Chernyshov was selected 33rd overall by the Sharks in 2024.

Originally Published: September 30, 2025 at 2:13 PM PDT