Joe Thornton, who is Macklin Celebrini's landlord again this year, has seen the No. 1 overall pick grow from an offensive-minded rookie who was a minus-31 last season to an all-around center who is leading the NHL in scoring.
One month into the season, San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini currently leads the NHL in scoring with 23 points in 15 games.
It’s an impressive feat for player who is not only in his second season, but who also happens to be just a teenager. The question is whether it’s impressive enough to warrant a spot on Team Canada’s roster for the Olympics.
According to former Sharks captain Joe Thornton, the answer is yes.
“I just hope he gets a chance, because I know how much he wants to be on that team,” Thornton, who will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday, told The Hockey News during the Ring Ceremony on Saturday. “It’s such an exciting thing to be a part of the Olympic team. They’ve got a hard job to do, the management of Team Canada, in picking that team, but he’s been looking really good.
“He’s just strong and motivated — he’s got everything, to be honest with you. He’s a full, 200-foot player.
Thornton, who still lives in San Jose, is not just a fan of Celebrini’s — he’s also his landlord.
What Sharks' Macklin Celebrini Gains From Living With 'One Of The Best Players To Ever Play'
San Jose Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini will live with former NHL star Joe Thornton this season after choosing not to return to college, and he explained why.
For the second year in a row, Celebrini has been living with Thornton and his family, who previously mentored Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner when playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. During that time, Thornton has seen the No. 1 overall pick grow from an offensive-minded rookie who scored 63 points in 70 games, but who was a minus-31 last season, to an all-around center who has a plus-six rating to go along with his nine goals and 23 points.
When asked what stands out with Celebrini, Thornton said it's his desire to get better.
"We’re still talking about a 19-year-old," said Thornton. "Kids are in college (at that age) … he’s just an incredible player. I’m lucky that I get to watch a few games. Really, when we’re home, we just hang, we don’t really talk about hockey.
"But he’s an incredible talent, he really is, and he’s so dedicated and you could just tell he wants to be one of the greats.”
Now that he's in the Hall of Fame, Thornton is one of those greats. While he never won a Stanley Cup, Thornton did win a gold medal for Canada at the 2010 Olympics, as well as two World Cups (in 2004 and 2016) and a World Junior Championship.
Are Canada's Scheifele, Schaefer And Celebrini Olympics Locks? That Depends
Realistically, there's probably only five potential openings for Team Canada: two at forward, two on defense and one in net. That does not allow much wiggle room to make significant changes to the roster that won at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
It was that international experience that Thornton remembers the most during his storied career, which is why he is relieved that the NHL is going back to the Olympics after skipping the 2018 and 2022 Games.
“I love it,” he said. “For me, I always loved to play in those best-on-best tournaments, whether it was World Cups or Olympics. And I’m a fan too, so as a fan you want to see best-on-best. What they put on last year with the 4 Nations, I thought was great. So I’m looking forward to watching the Olympics this year.”
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