The first time we see Macklin Celebrini in a San Jose Sharks jersey won't be on Oct. 10, the team's regular season and home opener against the St. Louis Blues.
The first game will not be the Sharks' preseason opener against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sept. 22, also at SAP Center.
The first will be on Sept. 13, when the Sharks kick off the Rookie Faceoff in Los Angeles against the Utah Hockey Club.
This is according to reporter John Hoeven, who reports that the 2024 Rookie Faceoff is scheduled to take place from Sept. 13-16 at the Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo, where the Los Angeles Kings train.
The San Jose Sharks have committed to bringing a star-studded team to Los Angeles, from 2024 No. 1 overall pick Celebrini to 2023 No. 4 overall pick Will Smith.
Sharks general manager Mike Grier said Saturday: Celebrini should participate.
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Prospective players Sam Dickinson, Quentin Mustey, Kasper Halttunen and Filip Bystedt should also be involved.
San Jose, Los Angeles, Utah, Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim Ducks and Colorado Avalanche are all set to send most of their prospects to the tournament, so we'll likely see 2024 Ducks No. 3 overall pick Beckett Senneke and 2024 Utah No. 6 overall pick Tiji Iginla.
Hoeven was kind enough to share the San Jose Sharks' full schedule, with exact times TBA.
- San Jose opens the season on Friday, Sept. 13 against Utah. Not only will it be Celebrini's first game in a Sharks uniform, but it will also be his first time seeing the newly established Utah team play in a game.
- The Sharks have Saturday off before playing the Ducks on Sunday, Sept. 15. Besides Senneke, they could also get their first look at 2024 No. 23 overall pick Stian Solberg and 2022 No. 5 overall pick Cutter Gauthier.
- Finally, San Jose will face Colorado on Monday, Sept. 16. Callum Ritchie, the 27th pick in the 2023 draft, right behind Masti, should headline the Avalanche roster.
