Macklin Celebrini was named a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award, a major coup for the second-year San Jose Sharks forward. On Tuesday, the NHL began announcing the finalists for all of its end-of-season awards.
What is the Ted Lindsay Award?
The Ted Lindsay Award is given to the most outstanding player as voted by the players, considered by many hockey players to be the most important award the NHL hands out every year.
Macklin Celebrini, who was the No. 1 overall pick by the Sharks in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, is just 19 years old, but he has already shown he is among the league’s most elite players.
Macklin Celebrini's Rookie Season
In his rookie season last year, Celebrini played 70 games for the Sharks, scoring 25 goals and 63 points, which was good enough for third in Calder Memorial Trophy voting for the league’s rookie of the year.
He also earned a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team. Celebrini's main priority is to help the Sharks reach the post-season, something they haven’t been a part of since the 2018-2019 season.
What's Next for Macklin Celebrini?
The Sharks are expected to begin talks on a long-term contract extension with their franchise cornerstone this offseason, a contract that is expected to have him among the league’s top-paid players. Celebrini finished fourth overall in both goals and points in the entire NHL.
He played 82 games for the Sharks, scoring 45 goals and a whopping 115 points, becoming the first player in Sharks history to score over 100 points in a single season. Celebrini comes from a sports family, with his father Rick being a former soccer player and his brother Aiden being a professional hockey player.
The three finalists for this year’s Ted Lindsay Award are Celebrini, Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, and Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning. At just 19 years of age, Celebrini has proven that he already belongs in the upper echelon of hockey players.
Given the monumental jump that Celebrini took from his first to second season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him take an even greater leap next year, his third in the NHL, and potentially even lead the league in points. Kristaps Porzingis, an NBA center on the Warriors, recently praised Rick Celebrini’s work as one of the reasons why he was able to return to health when he was traded to Golden State this season.