Celebrini Jumpstarts Sharks Rebuild
How soon could San Jose compete for a playoff spot?
Matthew Horner - Jul 23, 2024, 5:40pm EDT
The Path To Relevancy
It's been five years since the San Jose Sharks last made the playoffs, but there seems to be new hope around the corner. No, it isn't Luke Skywalker or the Rebel Alliance, but another young kid who shows a lot of promise to be the savior of the gal... franchise. The Sharks selected Macklin Celebrini with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and much like Connor Bedard last year, he will bring a new energy to a team that has been stuck in the mud for a while. Celebrini had 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games as a freshman at Boston University last season, and at 17 years old became the youngest player to win the Hobey Baker Award, which is given to the top NCAA men’s player.
Not only do they have him, but we can't forget about 2023 No. 4 overall pick Will Smith. The 19-year-old led the NCAA with 71 points (25 goals, 46 assists) as a freshman at Boston College. Smith set a program scoring record for a first-year player and helped the Eagles reach the title game.
Building The Future
However, we know that one man cannot do it alone. Bedard was the most talented prospect we have seen since Connor McDavid, and he could not make the Blackhawks a good team by himself. Celebrini can't do that either with the Sharks, but he will have some help in his first year as a professional.
San Jose signed several players that should really help jumpstart this rebuilding effort. Tyler Toffoli is a veteran who has been around for a while in big spots and should be a very valuable voice in the locker room for these young guys. Alex Wennberg also joins the Sharks after spending last season with the Kraken and Rangers. He'll be a good supporting player, as he registered 30 points in 79 games last year.
Futures Odds
Even with the new signings and infusion of young talent, don't expect the Sharks to be competing soon. This is still a roster that is full of holes, and fans are going to need to be patient and let the young guys develop. The odds at the sportsbooks reflect this, as they are an insane 400/1 to win the Stanley Cup. They are 200/1 to win the Western Conference and 250/1 to win the Pacific Division.
If you want to bet them to make the playoffs, you are looking at 25/1 odds there, with "No" being -8000!
