Macklin Celebrini already hard at work day after Sharks' 2024-25 NHL season ends originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

There are no days off for Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini.

That’s hyperbole, of course, but it was striking to see Celebrini on the ice, a day after the end of San Jose’s 2024-25 NHL regular season.

The only Sharks on the ice were Celebrini and Jack Thompson, who’s coming back from injury and ramping up to join the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL playoffs.

Of course, Celebrini still has his own hockey to play too: He confirmed what was a given, that he would be representing Team Canada at the World Championships in May in Sweden and Denmark.

Individually, could the 2024 No. 1 pick’s rookie season have gone any better?

He led all rookies with a 0.9 Points Per Game average. His 63 points was tied with Matvei Michkov for second among all NHL rookies, behind only Lane Hutson’s 66. His 25 goals was also second among all rookies, just behind Michkov’s 26. He impressed on both sides of the ice and was the San Jose Sharks’ clear-cut No. 1 center by the end of the season.

About the only thing that he could’ve done individually was play the 12 games that he missed because of an early-season hip injury, an absence which might cost him the Calder Trophy.

But besides that, he showed all the makings of a genuine superstar, both on the ice and with his work ethic.

The Sharks were a last-place team once again, with just one more win and five more points than last season’s 47 points, but the future feels a lot brighter for the franchise, chiefly because of Celebrini.

Celebrini shared what he wants to improve in his game next year, living with Joe Thornton, the World Championships as an audition for the Olympics, and what he’d say to other players to get them to join him with the Sharks.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have, presumably, made a roster move ahead of their final game of the 2024-25 season against the Washington Capitals on Thursday.

According to the NHL's media website, the Penguins have recalled forward Sam Poulin from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) - Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate - on an emergency basis. 

With forward Kevin Hayes designated as a "game-time decision" due to a lower-body injury - and defenseman P.O Joseph ruled out after rotating in on forward line rushes in practice this week - the Penguins would have only had 11 healthy forwards and six healthy defenseman going into Thursday's game without an emergency recall.

Poulin, 24, was a first-round pick (21st overall) by the Penguins in 2019. He has played in six NHL games this season, registering one point, and he has two points in 12 career games.

At the AHL level this season, Poulin has 19 goals and 43 points in 56 games, including four points in his last four.

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