The long-awaited return of Macklin Celebrini is just around the corner.
The San Jose Sharks‘ No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft will return from injury on Tuesday when they face the Columbus Blue Jackets, forward confirmed to NBC Sports’ Sheng Peng.
Celebrini had a goal and an assist in the team’s first game of the season, but was placed on injured reserve after the game with a lower-body injury. That was the only regular season NHL action he has seen so far in his young career.
The 18-year-old was cleared to participate in team activities and had been practicing with the team for the past week. However, the coach Ryan Warsofsky told reporters that the phenomenon was still considered week by week last Thursday.
Celebrini became the youngest player in NHL history to record two points in the first period of his debut, according to Sportradar, at 18 years and 119 days. Shane Doan held the previous mark of 18 years and 362 days, when he scored two points for Winnipeg against Dallas in 1995.
He also scored the second-fastest first goal in history for a No. 1 pick, with his goal at 7:01 of the first game, trailing only Mario Lemieux, who scored 2:59 into his debut against Boston on October 11, 1984.
Celebrini scored 64 points in 38 games as a freshman at Boston University last season, when he won the Hobey Baker Award for college player.
