The San Jose Sharks made a big move by selecting Macklin Celebrini as the first overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft. Celebrini had an outstanding freshman season at Boston University, breaking records and winning prestigious awards like the Hobey Baker Award. At just 17 years old, he became the youngest player to receive this honor. His impressive performance of 32 goals and 64 points in 38 games helped lead his team to the 2024 Frozen Four.
Celebrini joins a select group of freshmen who have won the Hobey Baker Award, including Paul Kariya, Jack Eichel, and Adam Fantilli. Now, he is tasked with being the new face of the San Jose Sharks as they look to rebuild and improve their fortunes in the league.
Looking back at the past five No. 1 picks in the NHL draft, we see a mix of success stories. Connor Bedard, drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2023, had a stellar rookie season, earning the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year. Bedard led both rookies and the Blackhawks in goals, assists, and points, despite missing several games due to injury.
Juraj Slafkovsky, selected by the Montreal Canadiens in 2022, had a more modest rookie season with 10 points in 39 games. Owen Power, the top pick in the 2021 draft by the Buffalo Sabres, had a solid start to his NHL career, earning a spot on the All-Rookie Team after recording 35 points in 79 games.
Alexis Lafreniere, chosen by the New York Rangers in 2020, showed promise with 21 points in 56 games as a rookie. Jack Hughes, drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 2019, had a decent rookie season with 21 points in 61 games before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It will be interesting to see how Macklin Celebrini performs in his rookie season with the San Jose Sharks and if he can follow in the footsteps of these past No. 1 picks. Keep an eye on the ESPN NHL hub page for the latest news, stats, and more updates on the upcoming NHL season.