What Can Celebrini, Sharks Learn From Losing Streak?

Macklin Celebrini says that he’s never experienced a losing streak this long.

The San Jose Sharks have dropped seven in a row, heading into a New Year’s Eve match-up against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Sharks lost nine to start the season, but the 18-year-old phenom was injured for most it, appearing only on opening night.

Has Celebrini learned anything from all this losing?

“It’s a lot more fun to win than lose,” he responded, matter-of-factly.

Through it all, the 2024 first-overall pick has become a frontrunner for the Calder Trophy. He has 27 points in 27 games, the only rookie averaging a point per game. He’s second to Matvei Michkov in rookie points, 29 in 35 games, and both Calder frontrunners are tied for the first-year lead with 12 goals apiece.

“It’s cool for the outside people that kind of look at it and compare,” Celebrini said. “But I want to stop losing, and I just want to kind of keep playing the way I’m playing. [The Calder Trophy] doesn’t really affect anything.”

One thing we’ve learned so far this season, Macklin Celebrini does not like to lose.

That said, San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky thinks that there’s something to be taken from this losing streak for youngsters like Celebrini and Will Smith and company.

There’s a first time for everything.

“It’s adversity,” he noted. “It’s something that, it’s probably going to happen again in his long career.”

There’s a lesson for the San Jose Sharks here, and not just the kids.

“Just being a human being, you’re going to go through some things in your life that are unfortunate, and you’re going to be dealt some cards that’s tough, and to go back to the basics and just simplify your game and do what’s best for the team,” Warsofsky said.

There’s a single word emblazoned in the hallway of the locker room, the last thing that the players see before they hit the ice for practice at Sharks Ice: “Today”.

“We got to approach it like it’s our last game of the season. It’s Game Seven the Stanley Cup Final, and we got to put everything in there,” Warsofsky said about Game 40 of the regular season against the visiting Flyers. “We got to get every guy, giving whatever they have, to win the hockey game. And that’s the message. And we can’t worry about what’s happened in the past. We can’t worry about what’s in the future. We just got to focus on our game.”

Not that Celebrini needs a lesson in that. But focusing on the here-and-now is all the Sharks can do. Hard times are a good reminder of that — and it’s also the best way for them to get out of their tailspin.