San Jose Sharks
Sharks Locker Room: Good, Bad, Ugly About Celebrini Injury?
The San Jose Sharks have more to be concerned about than Macklin Celebrini’s injury.
But understandably, an injury to the 2024 first-overall pick, and no specific updates post-game on it, that’s the headline.
In some ways, who cares about a sloppy 3-1 preseason loss to Utah Hockey Club?
On one hand, Celebrini did finish his shift, and he played another, after he crashed hard into the boards because of this Kevin Stenlund trip.
Macklin Celebrini left tonight's game with a lower body injury after crashing into the boards in the second period pic.twitter.com/AtcncWFhBB
— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) October 2, 2024
Also, a reported lower-body injury to Celebrini is not the right shoulder that he’s had surgery on before.
On the other hand, that was one ugly collision. And of course, Sharks fans were hoping post-game to hear that the injury wasn’t serious or pulling Celebrini from the game in the second period was just a precautionary measure.
Ryan Warsofsky’s non-update didn’t realize either hope.
Hopefully, there will be an update on Celebrini’s injury on Wednesday. The Sharks practice at 11:30 AM.
About the game…
Warsofsky was not happy with his team’s game and where they are at this point of the preseason. For a team looking to climb out of the cellar, that’s an issue.
Warsofsky and Fabian Zetterlund did touch on a better preseason showing for Will Smith, his second time around.
Mackenzie Blackwood also talked about the transition from summer training to preseason to regular season.
Ryan Warsofsky
Warsofsky, on any update on Celebrini’s injury:
I haven’t even talked to the trainers yet.
Warsofsky, on if Stenlund’s trip caused the injury:
I’m not even sure. Honestly, just got done meeting with these guys, so we’ll see in the morning.
Warsofsky, on if keeping Celebrini out was just a precautionary measure:
They just said he wasn’t coming back. That’s really all I got.
Warsofsky, on the San Jose Sharks’ issues with closing defensively on Utah’s goals:
For sure, that’s one issue. The other issue is gotta break out pucks. We’ve gotta execute our breakouts. The reads are sometimes fine. It’s our execution. It’s tape-to-tape passes. It’s being ready, demanding the puck, wanting the puck, all those things. That trickles into our D-zone and not closing quickly.
Warsofsky, on Blackwood:
That was our best player. Not even close.
Warsofsky, on if the San Jose Sharks are halfway to where he wants at this point of the preseason:
We’re not even close.
Warsofsky, on Smith’s slow start and improvement throughout the game:
He can just continue to hold onto pucks. He’s probably got more time than he thinks at times. And not just the pace of the game.
He can do some things with the puck in time and space. Can he make those decisions and make those plays in tight?
Then positionally-wise, he’s got some things to improve on, but I thought he took another step forward tonight.
Warsofsky, on if it was strange to play a Utah hockey team:
(laughs) They’re a good hockey team. They’re well-coached. But we have a lot to work on in our team. No offense, I don’t really care [about] the team name or whatever.
Warsofsky, on how to get the Sharks where he wants to get them to:
We just got to keep practicing. We got to keep practicing our details. We got to keep executing. We got to keep playing within our system. And it needs to be every single guy in that locker room, doing it consistently.
Mackenzie Blackwood
Blackwood, on what was better tonight versus his preseason debut:
Just positioning, some reads in the play, getting used to the intensity of the games versus scrimmage and practice and stuff. So it’s good just to get back in the flow of the play and see the intensity of real game action.
Blackwood, on shaking off the rust:
It’s more like you do all the goalie school and the technical stuff in the summertime that helps you. You do those movements over and over again. But in the game, you have to put it all together seamlessly. So it just takes a few times to put the whole dance together.
Fabian Zetterlund
Zetterlund, on what the San Jose Sharks can improve defensively:
We have to close quicker. Be aware of where we are on the ice.
Zetterlund, on Smith:
When he’s got the puck, he’s always a threat. He’s going to be good for us this season.
Zetterlund, on feeling his legs after a preseason game:
I had them my whole life. I feel like they’re good.
Celebrini Hurt, Questionable for Saturday’s Game
SJHN Daily: Blues Sing Celebrini’s Praises, NBA Star at Sharks’ Opener
Celebrini Scores 2nd-Fastest 1st NHL Goal Ever for No. 1 Pick
Sharks Locker Room: Celebrini, Smith Talk NHL Debut
Sharks Blow 3-Goal Lead, Celebrini-Smith Era Begins With 5-4 OT Loss
Couture Gives Injury Update
Couture Talks Celebrini, Next Step in His Recovery
Sharks Waive Two Vets, Send Another to Barracuda in Roster Cuts
My Thoughts From Day 1 of Sharks’ Camp + Warsofsky & Grier on Askarov Injury, RFA Offer Sheets & More
Sharks Locker Room: On Will Smith’s Debut, Under-the-Radar Storylines
Sharks Locker Room: Celebrini, Smith Talk NHL Debut
Dellandrea Talks Pavelski & Why He Wears No. 53, Kunin on Fighting Dellandrea
Our Sharks’ Roster Reaction!
Sharks Locker Room: Good, Bad, Ugly About Celebrini Injury?
I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but I’m cringing at what I saw. They have so far to go just to become what they were last season. It looks bad, folks. Don’t know what I think about Warsofsky, yet. What the hell happened to this franchise?
Dude…
It’s the preseason, guy.
Have to add…. This team in preseason already defends light years better and harder than last seasons team. They would have loved to get these defensive performances during their many huge blow out losses last season. So seriously dude, what the hell are you even paying attention to? Like I said, don’t think you know how to decipher what you’re watching. You sound like Brick Tamlin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMSMk1BeslA
To your point I would also add:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RybNI0KB1bg
To the OP:
Since the preseason is setting the barometer for regular season expectations, I guess Kevin Labanc’s Art Ross contender status is the real deal based on his 3 points yesterday and goals in 2 straight. At the very least, he will be the Devil’s top scorer. smh…we gave up too early.
🤣🤣🤣
To your question of what the h*** happened to the franchise, in 2019 they traded their future away for a shot at a cup wtih EK65. That didn’t work and now the last 5 seasons are the consequences of that failure.
Yup.
The second piece is they went delusional thinking they were a contender when they weren’t. And wasted 2-3 years figuring that out. That’s why it took 5 seasons and why the team is still in the early rebuild stage instead of in the middle of it.
Exactly!
Cagnoni played nearly 20 minutes last night and was the team’s second most utilized defenseman, while Thompson brought up the rear at just over 13 minutes. Was he hurt as well? Or was his usage just extremely limited?
That’s interesting. they might have been giving him a long look before cuts? 2 preseason games left and they’ll probably be nearly regular season game lineups in at least one of them. I thought Cags looked sketchy a little more than I would have liked but still made a number of really good plays. Still wouldn’t start him in the NHL but who knows. Thompson ended a number of plays the way you hope an NHL defender would. I think if they’re desperate for a PPQB maybe Cags gets in as an injury replacement but I’m loathe to screw up… Read more »
well if defending guys like McDavid , Drisiatl , McKinnon , Rantannen , etc. is your line then over 50% of the d in the NHL wouldn’t make their teams ……
That’s not true. Otherwise they would average a goal per shift.
Only seen Cagnoni twice and both times, he looked overmatched (this game and the 3rd rookie tourney game). But I also see the upside. He does skate well and he seems to have good vision. The offensive piece is on the way. He’s the sort who really needs to play 20 minutes a night and figure out when to take risks and when to peel back. He needs to figure out positioning in front of the net, where he won’t win by overpowering players. He’s got a long way to go, but he has some good tools that make it… Read more »
Maybe I overstated? I didn’t think he looked that bad. Just young. I agree, 20 min a night in the AHL will do wonders for his development.
Not overstated. I love his confidence. Not afraid the get the puck or skate with it, and an excellent skater. Yes, some dumb passes/turnovers, but the good outweighs the bad for me. He makes the team imo; he’s better than some of the D, especially Ferraro
First time we’ve had more of an NHL lineup instead of lots of prospects/AHLers. You expect some growing pains with a mostly new team playing under a new coach with a new system. This was the fourth preseason game but the first with mostly regulars. This is not an established team that has won together for years, its basically a brand new club, and we should temper expectations at least for a bit. Also, we seemed to hit a lot of posts and Ingram was playing well. It felt like we were getting to dangerous areas on the ice, but… Read more »
4 posts/ crossbars that I saw. Game could have been very different. Losing the #1 center early on was detrimental too obviously. Very young lineup for UHC though. But they are further along in the building phase.
It’s great to see all the pieces the Sharks got over the summer. I don’t agree with all the moves (e.g. Emberson for Ceci), but huge kudos to GMMG and his team for their execution. This team will be a lot better in a few years. For this season, it would be nice to see some progress, maybe 5 or more wins compared to last season. I’d also like to see a bottom 5 or so finish for 24-25 and another high draft pick at the 2025 draft. It should be another rough year for the Sharks, but not near… Read more »
As Zeke has detailed, you can get great defensemen later in round 1 and round 2. I’m not too hung up on them finishing bottom 5. Frankly I hope they don’t. If that happens it means Celly, Smith and Eklund are enduring a train wreck of a season. I’d rather see them have more success than that despite the resulting draft position. No more tanking.
I hope it’s not his right knee, it hit pretty hard.
Macklin needs protection Greir!! NHL has not changed from your days in the league these big fast teams will eat Macklin an Smith a live if we don’t have a strong statement !!
Oh yeah, if only someone had been there to punch the boards.
But if it was a trip, someone needs to pound Stenlunds face into LDS purgatory
LDS purgatory is just a really long hike in Zion.
Was thinking more like the middle of the Unitah Basin, somewhere south of Vernal 😀