The San Jose Sharks are the winners of the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery, giving them the first chance to draft top prospect Macklin Celebrini in next month’s NHL Draft in Las Vegas. This is the first time they have secured the first overall pick. They had the second overall pick three times.
“I was delighted. It’s a great moment for the organization and the fans here to have the opportunity to recruit someone like Macklin. It was a difficult year for us. We couldn’t be more excited to have this opportunity. He’s also a Terrier,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier, also a Boston University alumnus, told ESPN after the lottery.
OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL: The @SanJoseSharks will select first overall in 2024 #NHLDraft! 🦈 pic.twitter.com/xbuwCfpfV1
– NHL (@NHL) May 7, 2024
San Jose entered the day with the highest odds of winning the lottery, at 25.5 percent, after finishing the NHL season with the worst record in the league, at 16-41-7. Chicago had the second highest score at 13.5 percent while Anaheim’s odds were 11.5 percent. The Sharks will also walk away with the 14th pick in the draft since they own Pittsburgh’s first-round pick in the Erik Karlsson trade last summer.
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Celebrini is considered the consensus No. 1 prospect available. The 17-year-old center won the NCAA Hobey Baker Award in his first season with Boston University, given to the best player in men’s college hockey, and became the youngest player to win the honor. Celebrini scored 32 goals and 64 points in 38 games played with BU.
“I think he’s a 200-foot player, which is rare for someone who’s as gifted offensively as he is,” Grier said. “At 17, he plays a real all-around game. Both ends of the ice. He cares. I love his competitiveness. I watch him train and he goes as hard as he can on every exercise. Wants to win every battle for the puck.
“I think he’s a really unique player at this age. Play a complete and complete game. We’re really excited.
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(Photo: Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)