Preseason Preview/Lines #4: Celebrini Chirping Smith, Both To Play First Game Together

San Jose Sharks fans are in for a treat tonight.

They’re going to see star prospects Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith play together for the first time, not counting one Rookie Faceoff appearance in Los Angeles. During Development Camp, scrimmages, and so far during the preseason, they’ve played on different teams or nights.

Obviously, the fast friends are excited about that.

But the San Jose Sharks prospects have also had a great time together during training camp.

Last week, Will Smith was giving it to Celebrini for almost hitting the Shark Head tooth during Celebrini’s preseason debut on Sept. 22.

Today, Celebrini was chirping Massachusetts native Smith for wearing a San Francisco 49ers jersey to Sunday’s 49ers-New England Patriots game.

Continuing to chirp him, I mean.

“He was wearing a San Fran jersey, probably cheering for the Pats,” Celebrini joked today, after the 49ers’ 30-13 victory over the Patriots. “Loyalty somewhere.”

That kind of game for Will pic.twitter.com/eDvMCAdEX6

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 1, 2024

Smith added that he’s a big Rob Gronkowski guy and went to multiple Patriots championship parades.

Celebrini, on the other hand, was just trolling for trolling’s sake. It was his first NFL game and he didn’t even grow up watching the CFL.

San Jose Sharks (1-2-0)

#SJSharks morning skate lines, Celebrini & Smith playing:

Eklund-Celebrini-Toffoli
Graf-Will Smith-Zetterlund
Goodrow-Wennberg-Kunin
Sabourin-Poturalski-Grundstrom

Wasn't able to catch D pairings, but Walman, Ferraro, Rutta, Ceci, Thompson & Cagnoni on the ice

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 1, 2024

#SJSharks power play groups:

Walman-Celebrini-Toffoli-Zetterlund-Poturalski
Cagnoni-Smith-Graf-Eklund-Wennberg

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 1, 2024

Mackenzie Blackwood will start. Jan Rutta was hit with a puck in the face during morning skate, so he will sit out, Matt Benning will come in.

Luca Cagnoni and Jack Thompson will be paired. Both prospects, at the moment, appear to be competing for No. 7 defenseman on the Sharks roster with Shakir Mukhamadullin and Marc-Edouard Vlasic still working their way back from injuries.

Not counting Mukhamadullin and Vlasic, the Sharks currently have eight healthy defensemen on the roster.

“That’s why they’re here, and that’s why they’re still competing,” Warsofsky said. “Mike and his staff have decisions to make on who we want to fit in those roles.”

Mukhamadullin and Vlasic did skate on their own for a second consecutive day, a prelude to returning to practice soon.

Utah Hockey Club (3-1-0)

Today's roster. ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/R11q5Sum7o

— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) October 1, 2024

Where To Watch

Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Utah Hockey Club is 7 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it live on SJSharks.com, keep in mind that the stream is geo-locked to the San Jose Sharks‘ broadcast area. Also watch it on the Sharks + SAPC app. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.