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.