Celebrini week in and week out for Sharks with lower body injury

Macklin Celebrini is out week-to-week for the San Jose Sharks with a lower-body injury.

Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, scored a goal and an assist in 17:35 minutes of ice time in his NHL debut in a 5-4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday Frontrunner. He did not practice on Friday and was placed on injured reserve on Saturday.

“(He’s) week in and week out. That’s really all I have,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “To be honest, I can’t give a timeline for it. I think week to week is about what we think. We'll just see how he progresses through his rehab here over the next few days.” .”

Celebrini, who turned 18 in June, became the youngest player in men's college hockey last season when he also became the youngest to win the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the top NCAA men's hockey player becomes. He was second among NCAA players with 32 goals and third with 64 points in 38 games for Boston University.

Celebrini also left practice during training camp on September 25 with a lower body injury and left a preseason game against Utah Hockey Club on October 1 with the same injury.

“Everyone got bumps and bruises throughout training camp,” Warsofsky said. “I would say we kind of realized after that (first) game that there was something deeper. It's a good learning moment for him. Life is sometimes unfair. Mentally he is good. He was here today working. It’s the game of ice hockey, right? It certainly won't be his last injury and we have to move on.

Forward Klim Kostin, who made an error in the season opener, will take Celebrini's place in the lineup when the Sharks host the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday (10 p.m. ET; Victory+, NBCSCA, KCOP-13).

“I mean, it (stinks),” forward Will Smith said. “Of course you never want something like that to happen, but it's part of the game and hopefully he'll be back soon.

Mikael Granlund should rise to the top alongside William Eklund and Tyler Toffoli.

“I spoke to (Celerbini) a little bit, but it is what it is,” Toffoli said. “As a group here we have to support him. At the end of the day we have to come to the rink and we have a job to do and we have to be ready to go tonight. He's already one.' One of the best players on our team, if not the best, will be missing, and unfortunately I've played on teams for a long time where we've lost one of our best players, and there are just others Boys an opportunity to move up.

On Tuesday, the Sharks begin a three-game road trip at the Dallas Stars that also includes games against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday and the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.

“Obviously he’s a great player,” Eklund said. “We'll miss him out there, but I think the most important thing is that he comes back and is fully healthy. I think it's hard for him. He wants to be out there. He wants to compete.” So we'll try to play for him today.

NHL.com independent correspondent Max Miller contributed to this report