
San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had an outstanding week, leading the team to its first two victories of the season. His performance over those four games was so impressive, that the NHL named Celebrini the league's First Star of the Week for the week ending October 26th.
Joining the Sharks’ phenom were New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, who was named the Third Star of the Week, as well as Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley, who was named the Second Star of the Week.
Celebrini, in his second NHL season, is showing quickly how much of a superstar he is developing into. Playing in four games, he totaled five goals and five assists for 10 points, leading the entire league in scoring over that span.
Those contests also included a five-point outing against the New York Rangers. He tallied two goals and added three assists, marking the second time in his young career that he's recorded five points or more in a game.
According to NHL.com, Celebrini became just the fourth player in league history to record multiple five-point games before turning 20. He joins a historic list that includes Wayne Gretzky, Dale Hawerchuk and Bryan Trottier.
Celebrini capped off his week by taking things into his own hands once again. After helping guide the Sharks back into their contest against the Minnesota Wild, the two squads went to overtime.
There, Celebrini took control. He leapt on a loose puck and took it to the other end for the game-winning goal.
The goal scoring is another impressive step for Celebrini. He looks so much more confident in year two, and the rest of the NHL is having a hell of a time catching up to this new version of the Sharks center.
In his second NHL season, Celebrini is taking that leap that many superstars do. He has six goals and nine assists for 15 points in nine games. That total currently sits alone for second place in the league scoring race.
His rise mirrors the likes of NHL elite like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby, who followed up on impressive rookie seasons with award-winning sophomore campaigns.
Through the first chapter of this NHL season, Celebrini is right on track to becoming the next superstar. It’s his first time this year being named the First Star of the Week, but it’s very likely he receives the honor many more times before the season ends.
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