The ongoing NHL preseason has resulted in many teams losing their personnel to various fitness issues. One such side is the San Jose Sharks, who have sustained a major setback in the form of Macklin Celebrini’s injury. The rookie center exited his team’s latest preseason game early, causing the Sharks fans to worry about his current condition. But what happened to the 18-year-old ice hockey player?
Here are all the details regarding Celebrini’s latest ailment, including his estimated return.
How did Macklin Celebrini get injured?
The Sharks’ first overall pick in the 2024 draft departed his side’s recent preseason loss to the Utah Hockey Club due to lower-body troubles.
Macklin Celebrini sustained the injury in the second period while attempting a breakaway toward the opposition’s goal. However, he ended up encountering Utah forward Kevin Stenlund’s stick, causing him to trip over. In the aftermath of the incident, Celebrini seemed to have landed awkwardly on his left ankle, ultimately leading him to crash into the boards.
After the apparent injury, Macklin Celebrini required some time to return to his shift. He participated in one more shift before the Sharks withdrew him from the game.
When will Macklin Celebrini return to play with the San Jose Sharks?
The extent of Macklin Celebrini’s injury remains unknown at the time of this writing. As such, predicting when the center could regain complete fitness is extremely difficult.
Nevertheless, coach Ryan Warsofsky has recently come out to shed more light on Macklin Celebrini’s injury. According to Warsofsky, the decision to remove the youngster from the Utah game was actually a precautionary move. The seasoned tactician also conveyed that Celebrini has not been ruled out of the remaining preseason games.
Despite the recent update, Warsofsky insisted that Celebrini’s return at opening night remains a question of concern. Therefore, more medical assessments would be needed to pass an adequate judgement regarding the up-and-coming athlete’s eventual comeback to the pitch.
The San Jose Sharks are scheduled to lock horns with the Anaheim Ducks in their second-last preseason game.
