Macklin Celebrini To Play For Canada At World Championship; What Does That Mean For The Sharks?

The San Jose Sharks own the best odds at the No. 1 pick in the upcoming 2024 NHL Draft.

Projected No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini will represent Team Canada on a national stage at the 2024 IIHF World Championship. The World Championship will be slightly different this season, with more NHL players accepting invites to play than in years past.

Celebrini will play with and against some of the league's best players. Last season's No. 1 overall pick, Connor Bedard, and the No. 3 pick, Adam Fantili, are also joining Team Canada.

How does this affect the Sharks?

The Sharks front office will get a chance to see Celebrini play against older players for the first time. While playing at Boston University, Celebrini was highly successful but didn't play against someone like Canada teammate Brandon Tanev. Tanev is a physical player who is strong defensively and along the boards during board battles. His style is similar to that of the Sharks' Luke Kunin but with more speed.

While the intensity of the games might not be higher than an NHL game, Celebrini will get a better feel for the physicality that NHLers have compared to players in the NCAA.

The Sharks have a few players headed to Worlds this season. Mikael Granlund, Fabian Zetterlund, Nico Sturm, and Kunin have all been confirmed as participants. William Eklund said he received an invite but hadn't made a decision.

Related: Sharks' Fabian Zetterlund To Play For Sweden At World Championship

Related: REPORT: Sharks Winger To Play For Team USA At 2024 IIHF World Championship

Jay Woodcroft will be an assistant coach for Team Canada. The former Edmonton Oilers head coach and Sharks assistant coach could be a candidate for Mike Grier to interview and potentially hire as the team's next head coach.

Related: Former Oilers Head Coach & Sharks Assistant Coach Could Be A Candidate To Replace David Quinn

While scouting reports are already in-depth about Celebrini, this tournament will give Grier and other NHL teams a chance to see him play against opponents of a quality he's never faced. There is no questioning his talent; this is his chance to experience close to NHL hockey before he is drafted.

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