Taylor Hall Talks Celebrini, Pressures of Being No. 1 Pick, How To Handle the Losing (+)

Taylor Hall has been in Macklin Celebrini’s shoes.

Hall, the Edmonton Oilers’ No. 1 pick in the 2010 Draft, knows a lot about the pressures that Celebrini, the San Jose Sharks’ No. 1 pick in the 2024 Draft, is facing.

Hall, now with the Carolina Hurricanes, spoke with San Jose Hockey Now on Thursday.

Hall has also played with first-overall picks in 2011 (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins), 2012 (Nail Yakupov), 2015 (Connor McDavid), 2017 (Nico Hischier), 2018 (Rasmus Dahlin), 2019 (Jack Hughes), and 2023 (Connor Bedard).

Hall shared his advice for how to stay focused with the hype and pressure and criticism that come with going first-overall, limiting social media, how to handle a lot of losing as a teenager, and more.

It was a thoughtful conversation with a guy who’s lived it.