Sharks Sign Macklin Celebrini To Entry-Level Contract

A little after a week drafting him with the first overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft the San Jose Sharks have locked up their new player. The team announced they have signed Macklin Celebrini to a three-year, entry-level contract starting in the 2024-25 NHL season.

According to Puckpedia, Celebrini will make a base salary of $877.5K each year of his entry-level deal. Additionally, the team has offered Celebrini the maximum amount of signing bonuses possible, as he will receive a signing bonus of $97K, Group “A” performance bonuses totaling, $1MM, and Group “B” performance bonuses of $2.5MM in all three years which could bring his AAV up $4.475MM if all conditions are met.

The signing confirms that Celebrini will suit up for the Sharks next season as players become ineligible for NCAA participation after signing professional contracts. The young prospect will become a one-and-done player with Boston University and move to the Bay Area to start his professional career.

It was not a bad lone collegiate season for Celebrini as he joined the Terrier program after spending one season with the Chicago Steel of the USHL in the year prior. In 38 games for Boston University this past season, Celebrini scored 32 goals and 64 points which was good for third in league-scoring in his freshman campaign. At the end of the season, Celebrini was named the Hockey East Player of the Year, Hockey East Rookie of the Year, Hockey East Scoring Champion, Hockey East Three Stars Award, and the Hobey Baker Award winner.

Celebrini became the youngest player in NCAA history to win the Hobey Baker and the fourth freshman all-time behind Paul Kariya (1993), Jack Eichel (2015), and Adam Fantilli (2023). Celebrini became the unanimous best prospect in the 2024 NHL Draft by achieving such a dominant season in the American collegiate scene. He will continue his rise to stardom in the Sharks organization as the team looks to rebuild its team from the ground up. San Jose has not quite taken the next step to be considered a playoff contender for the 2024-25 NHL season but they should be exciting to watch with Celebrini and former fourth overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft, Will Smith, on the roster after signing his entry-level contract at the end of May.