Bruce Cassidy Praises Macklin Celebrini’s Debut: ‘Those are like Crosby plays’

Bruce Cassidy can tell that Macklin Celebrini is going to be a problem for him.

The Vegas Golden Knights head coach had a front row view of the San Jose Sharks’ 2024 first-overall pick’s preseason debut, a 4-2 Vegas victory over San Jose.

It was Celebrini who made it close with a goal and an assist in the third period.

The Golden Knights bench boss raved about Celebrini post-game, and it wasn’t just about the scoring plays.

“In the second period, he made a great cross-ice, backhand pass,” Cassidy said postgame. “Not too many guys can make that 60-foot pass through people on their backhand. Those are like Crosby plays that are hard to do in this league with guys that have good sticks.”

Cassidy kept talking about Celebrini’s pointless second period, a measure of the 18-year-old’s impact throughout the night

“He made a couple other plays in traffic in the second period,” Cassidy said. “I remember in front of us where he came out of, it looked like not much happening, all of a sudden he squirts out, has the presence of mind to freeze someone, then slip [the puck] in behind.”

And of course, Cassidy didn’t forget to mention Celebrini’s third-period heroics.

“When he has the puck, stuff is happening out there,” Cassidy continued. “His shot on the goal. His play to [Tyler] Toffoli, that’s a no-look play.”

Tyler Toffoli's first Sharks goal is a tap-in off a Macklin Celebrini pass 🤝 pic.twitter.com/ghryPmW5MM

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) September 23, 2024

“Those are his natural abilities that you can’t teach,” Cassidy concluded. “He’s an effective player.”

Cassidy and the Golden Knights will likely face Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks many times in the future in the regular season, and hopefully, the playoffs.

Could this the beginning of a new chapter of the San Jose Sharks-Vegas Golden Knights’ rivalry?

“Good on San Jose and good on the young fella,” Cassidy said.