No. 1 NHL Draft Pick Macklin Celebrini Placed on IR by Sharks with Lower-Body Injury

After a dazzling performance in his NHL debut, Macklin Celebrini is going to miss time due to a lower-body injury.

The San Jose Sharks announced on Saturday that the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft has been placed on injured reserve, with Jack Thompson being recalled from the AHL to take Celebrini's spot on the roster.

Per NHL rules, a player on injured reserve must sit out for a minimum of seven days. A player who is expected to miss at least 10 games and 24 days during the season can be placed on long-term injured reserve.

There is no indication at this point how long Celebrini is expected to be out of action.

Head coach Ryan Warsofsky told reporters that Celebrini was being evaluated for a lower-body injury that had been bothering him during training camp and preseason.

There was no indication from the first game of the regular season that anything was wrong. Celebrini scored his first career goal seven minutes into the first period against the St. Louis Blues.

Celebrini assisted on Tyler Toffoli's goal late in the first period. The Sharks would go on to lose the game 5-4 in overtime, but the 18-year-old phenom offered the franchise a strong glimpse of what the future will look like with him as the centerpiece.

The Boston University alum was on the ice for a total of 17:35 in the opener. He was selected with the top pick in June's draft after becoming the youngest player ever to win the Hobey Baker Award as the nation's top college player.

Celebrini finished with 64 points in 38 games during his freshman campaign for the Terriers.

The earliest date Celebrini will be able to return is Oct. 19. The Sharks will play four games between now and then, starting with Saturday's matchup against the Anaheim Ducks at SAP Center in San Jose.

The first game that Celebrini would be eligible to play is against the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 20.