SAN JOSE – Macklin Celebrini appears to have avoided a long-term injury, but it remains unclear whether the No. 1 centerman can play in the San Jose Sharks’ season-opener in just over a week.
Celebrini did not practice Wednesday and is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury he sustained in the San Jose Sharks preseason game against the Utah Hockey Club.
Celebrini was injured in the second period of Tuesday’s game at SAP Center. While skating toward the Utah net on a partial breakaway, Celebrini got a shot away at the 13:45 mark that goalie Connor Ingram stopped.
Celebrini’s left skate was then tapped by Utah defenseman Kevin Stenlund, causing him to lose his balance and slide hard into the end boards in a scary moment.
Celebrini got up, skated on his own toward the Sharks bench, and took one more shift shortly after on a San Jose power play. But he later went to the team’s dressing room for further evaluation.
Macklin Celebrini left tonight’s game with a lower body injury after crashing into the boards in the second period pic.twitter.com/AtcncWFhBB
— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) October 2, 2024
A source indicated that Celebrini’s injury wasn’t a major cause for concern, although there remains no timeline for his return to practice. The Sharks have two preseason games left: Friday at home against Anaheim and Saturday in Las Vegas. They open the regular season on Oct. 10 at SAP Center against the St. Louis Blues.
Without Celebrini, the Sharks adjusted their forward lines for Wednesday’s practice.
Alexander Wennberg took Celebrini’s spot as the Sharks’ top-line center with Tyler Toffoli and William Eklund on the wings. Will Smith centered the second line with Mikael Granlund and Fabian Zetterlund.
In the bottom six, Ty Dellandrea centered the third line with Barclay Goodrow and Luke Kunin, although Dellandrea and Goodrow can alternate playing in the middle. The fourth line featured center Nico Sturm with wingers Klim Kostin and Carl Grundstrom.
Please check back for updates to this story.
