DU’S first challenge: Slow down Celebrini, the NHL’S next big thing
Zeev Buium has known Macklin Celebrini since they were 14 years old, when they were at the same prestigious youth hockey program together.
Both will be back in the same state Thursday afternoon for the biggest game of their nascent college careers to date, and Buium is probably going to see his high-flying friend coming at him a lot. Buium and his University of Denver teammates have a showdown with Celebrini and Boston University in the first semifinal at the 2024 NCAA Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minn.
“It’s going to be awesome, for sure,” Buium, the Pioneers’ freshman sensation, said. “I think the last time I skated with him was three years ago at Shattuck (St. Mary’s). It’s going to be really fun going against him again. I always try to give it to him a little when we’re playing against each other, maybe get in his head. It doesn’t work too well. It’s going to be very competitive and we’re really excited.”
Celebrini is the headliner for the No. 2-seeded Terriers. He has been the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL draft for essentially two hockey seasons now, and the gap between him and the rest of his class has widened after he authored one of the great freshman seasons in NCAA history.
His father, Rick, is a former professional soccer player in Canada and is the director of sports medicine and performance for the Golden State Warriors. His mother, Robyn, was an excellent soccer player as well.
Celebrini grew up around Steve Nash, one of his dad’s best friends, and has spent time hanging out with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and other members of the Warriors dynasty.
He also grew up playing at the same Vancouver rink as Connor Bedard, which means there will likely be back-to-back No. 1 picks who honed their skills at
North Shore Winter Club.
Celebrini spent a year with the Junior Sharks program in San Jose, after Rick received a recommendation from former neighbor and San Jose star Brent Burns, before moving on to dominate at Shattuck in Minnesota, for the Chicago Steel in the USHL and now for the Terriers.
“He’s unbelievable. First and foremost, he’s a great kid, one of the nicest kids I’ve ever met,” Buium said. “He’s so talented in every aspect of the game. I think he’s always making a difference out there. If he’s not scoring or making plays, which he almost always is, an off shift for him isn’t really an off shift because he’s going through guys or chipping pucks in and getting gritty. He’s kind of got it all in his game. It’s been fun to watch him develop.”
Celebrini has 32 goals and 64 points in 37 games. He’s one of three finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, along with North Dakota’s Jackson Blake and Boston College’s Cutter Gauthier.
His resume from the past two seasons includes: USHL rookie of the year, USHL player of the year, Hockey East freshman of the year and Hockey East player of the year (ahead of Gauthier). Celebrini is the fourth player to win both of those Hockey East awards — the other three are Brian Leetch, Paul Kariya and Jack Eichel.
“We’ve played against top players all year long,” DU center Carter King said. “We played (No. 1 seed) Boston College and we played North Dakota and Jackson Blake. We have some experience with that. You’ve just got to prepare and make sure your detailed and know who you’re on the ice against.”
The Terriers have lots of other future NHL players as well, including top Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson and 2023 first-round pick Tom Wallinder, but Celebrini is obviously the center of attention for BU and likely will be for the Pioneers on Thursday at Xcel
Energy Center.
As the higher seed, BU will get the last change. Denver’s top pairing of Buium and Sean Behrens will likely get as much time against Celebrini as the Pios can, but the other two pairings will need to help out as well.
“He’s a really good player,” DU coach David Carle said. “He’s going to get his looks, I’m sure. The challenge will be to limit those looks and to do it together.