The next face of the NHL is from North Van

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What if I were to tell you that, no hyperbole, the next face of the NHL is a kid from North Vancouver? 

Picture this. 

You’re a hardcore Canucks, not really familiar with the league outside of your team. 

In February, you sit down at some god forsaken time to catch the men’s Olympic hockey in Mulan. Youre excited but still trying to shake off that early morning “ughhhhh”.  

You know the big names, Crosby, Mcdavid, etc. But someone new catches your eye. You point frantically at your TV as you lean in to get a better look at what turns out to be an actual child on Olympic ice.  #17 in red, Macklin Celebrini. 

(NHL – Twitter)

Let’s start with the facts. Macklin Celebrini is a 19-year-old phenom from North Vancouver in the NHL. 

 Finishing his sophomore year with 115 points, nearly double of the second place in the team on points, (Will Smith with 59) and had one of the best seasons a teenager has had in the NHL, with only Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby having more points in a season. Resulting in him being named a finalist for the Ted Lindsy Award, given to the best player in the league as voted on by the players. 

Outside the NHL, Celebrini further raised the roof at the Olympics in Italy. Finishing with 10 points in 5 games and did not look out of place with NHL legends and future Hockey Hall of Fame inductees on his flanks. 

Not to mention, its a slam dunk that hes going to be the next captain of the sharks and the greatest player their franchise has ever seen. Celebrini has already blown the best seasons of Sharks legends Joe Thorton and Patrick Marleau out of the water. 

Keep in mind, this guy can’t even legally drink in the US yet. To say the sky is the limit for him would be an understatement.  

So… What does this mean to the people of Vancouver? For fans in the Lower Mainland, there’s something special that he’s one of ours. In a hockey market that lives and breathes the sport, seeing a local kid potentially become the next global star hits differently. It shows dream filled kids and hockey families alike that all those early morning practices and late-night trips home after games could mean something more one day.  

Imagine how many young kids from Vancouver will see Celebrini as their inspiration, or role model.  

For fans of the NHL, we might be looking at more than just a great player. We might be watching the early chapters of a career that defines the next generation of hockey. 

Not bad for a kid from North Van.