Smith, Celebrini Named to Same Team Today + Celebrini Wins Hobey Baker

The San Jose Sharks hope to see two of these top NCAA prospects on the same power play soon.

Both Will Smith, San Jose’s fourth-overall pick in the 2023 Draft, and Macklin Celebrini, who the Sharks hope they’ll be able to select first-overall in the upcoming 2024 Draft, were named first-team All-Americans East today.

CCM/AHCA First-Team All-Americans East
G-Jacob Fowler (BC/MTL)
D-Lane Hutson (BU/MTL)
D-Ryan Ufko (UMass/NSH)
F-Macklin Celebrini (BU/2024)
F-Cutter Gauthier (BC/ANA)
F-Will Smith (BC/SJS)

— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) April 12, 2024

Smith’s season isn’t over yet, of course. The Boston College star led the Eagles to the national championship game on Saturday, scoring two goals in a 4-0 Frozen Four win over the University of Michigan on Thursday. Now up to 71 points, Smith has a chance to surpass Jack Eichel for most points by a NCAA U-19 skater since 1993-94. As it stands, he leads all NCAA players in points this season.

Smith and Boston College take on the University of Denver at Xcel Energy Center at 3 PM PT tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Celebrini and Boston University lost their Frozen Four contest, 2-1 in OT to the Pioneers, but that didn’t stop Celebrini from winning the Hobey Baker Award.

The 17-year-old is the youngest to win the award for the best player in men’s college hockey, and just the fourth freshman, following Paul Kariya (1993), Jack Eichel (2015) and Adam Fantilli (2023).

He won’t turn 18 until Jun. 13, two weeks before the 2024 Draft.

Celebrini scored 32 goals and 32 assists in just 38 games. Those 64 points are the second-most ever in an NCAA season for an under-18 skater.

Celebrini was also lauded for his two-way game, which has drawn comparisons to a three-time Stanley Cup winner’s.

“He’s got everything. This is a guy who plays a mature game at such a young age, on top of the skills that he has. He’s a guy that plays on the inside. He values all three zones,” San Jose Sharks head coach David Quinn told The Athletic. “I mean, he reminds me an awful lot of Jonathan Toews, with the way he approaches the game.”

Also? Celebrini’s family would love for Macklin Celebrini to join Smith with the San Jose Sharks.

Smith was not a Hobey Baker finalist, though he was on the initial Hobey shortlist of the top-10 college players.

Smith, however, is playing for something bigger on Saturday.

In the 15ish years I've been covering the #NHLDraft, Macklin Celebrini is one of the most complete players I've had the opportunity to track. He's not getting Bedard-level hype, but I think he is in that tier of talent https://t.co/IBvPhtDGff

— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) April 12, 2024