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Macklin Celebrini Scouting Report: 2024 NHL Draft #1

Welcome back to Top Shelf Prospects, the column that brings you the next crop of professional hockey players. Each day our LWOS Prospects Writers will bring you a new player profile or topical article in the lead-up to the 2024 NHL Draft. Be sure to bookmark the site, follow Ben Kerr, and Frederik Frandson on Twitter, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical and critical profiles and scouting reports! Last Word On Hockey Prospects is your new headquarters for everything “NHL Draft”! Today we bring you our Macklin Celebrini Scouting Report.

It is almost a consensus, Macklin Celebrini is the number one prospect in the 2024 NHL Draft. The Vancouver native has helped the Boston University Terriers to a spot in the NCAA’s Frozen Four tournament as a 17-year-old freshman. He has scored 32 goals and 32 assists for 64 points in 37 games. In the process, Celebrini racked up a number of individual awards including Hockey East Rookie of the Year, Player of the Year, and 1st All-Star Team. He won the conference scoring title and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.

Celebrini also shone at the international level. He was one of Canada’s best players at the World Juniors, scoring four goals and eight points in five games. Celebrini was named a top-three player on Team Canada. This came after a starring role in the 2023 Under-18 World Championships. Celebrini’s 15 points in seven games helped Team Canada to a bronze medal. His 2022-23 USHL season with Chicago Steel previously cemented him as a top prospect. He was one of the best players in the junior league at just 16 years old. He led the league in points and won the Player and Rookie of the Year awards.

Macklin Celebrini 2024 NHL Draft Scouting Report

Centre/Left Wing — shoots Left
Born June 13th, 2006 — Vancouver, British Columbia
Height 6’0″ — Weight 190 lbs [183 cm/86 kg]

Skating

Celebrini is an excellent skater. This provides the foundation of his strong two-way game. He has an excellent first step and his acceleration is very good. He is able to reach his top speed in just a few steps. Celebrini also has excellent agility and edgework. This allows him to weave in and out of traffic, making plays both with and without the puck. His ability to make plays while moving at top speed makes him incredibly dangerous with the puck. Celebrini also has good size and strength for his age. A low centre of gravity allows him to fight through checks and win battles on the boards. It is hard to knock him off the puck. He is not afraid to play in high-traffic areas as well as make plays around big, physical defenders. This should only improve as he matures and gets even stronger.

Offensive Game

Celebrini has every attribute that a team would want in a top prospect. He is a talented stick-handler who can make plays with the puck while moving at top speed. He is also creative and gritty. Celebrini is not afraid of tight spaces or physical contact. He will make plays close to the goal and down low in the offensive zone. Celebrini is a hard worker who is not afraid to battle for the puck along the boards or in front of the net. Once there he has the soft hands to deke a goal, as well as the quickness and hand-eye coordination to get tip-ins, bury rebounds, and one-time short passes into the net.

Celebrini can also play the role of playmaker. He has the vision and passing skills to set up teammates. Celebrini can find a teammate with a tape-to-tape pass through tight areas. His agility and quick stickhandling can also lead to a quick move that creates a passing lane.

Celebrini is also blessed with a good array of shots. His wrist shot and snapshot are both extremely accurate. He gets them away with a quick, deceptive release that can handcuff goalies. His one-timer is also hard and accurate. This helps him to be a scoring option on the half-boards on the powerplay. Celebrini can even score with a quick backhand. A true game-breaker, Celebrini can take advantage of any time and space given to him by opponents.

Defensive Game

Celebrini also plays an effective two-way game. He uses his high-end hockey sense to read the play and get his body or stick into passing lanes and create turnovers. Committed to playing at both ends of the ice, Celebrini supports the defence down low and applies back pressure to help his teammates defend against the rush. He is again not afraid to use his body and play a physical game in his own end, battling for loose pucks and keeping the cycle to the outside. Once a turnover is created, Celebrini is quick to move the puck up the ice and create offence in transition. If he wants to stay at centre, he will need to improve his face-off skills, but this should come with added strength and experience.

Projection and Comparison

Celebrini may be in the NCAA now, but his game is NHL-ready. It would not be a surprise for him to sign an entry-level contract shortly after the draft and make an impact for his new club next season. His advanced defensive game and willingness to play a gritty game are things rarely found in a 17-year-old. Add this to his absolutely elite-level offensive production for his age and he’s a sure-fire top pick. Celebrini may not be a generational player like a Connor McDavid or Connor Bedard, but he is the next best thing. His game is reminiscent of Jonathan Toews. However, this is a stylistic comparison only and not one based on skill and ability. In terms of his NHL career, the sky is the limit for the heights that Celebrini could reach.

Highlights

The following is a compilation of some of the highlight packages and features of Macklin Celebrini that are available on YouTube and Twitter.

Check back later for our latest draft article.

Main Photo Credit: John Mersits / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ben Kerr

Ben Kerr

Ben is a credentialed sports writer from just outside Toronto, Canada. A lawyer, he has a highly analytical approach to writing. Ben is the COO of Last Word On Sports INC. Most of his writing can be found in the hockey department, though he follows and writes on other sports as well.

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