By JOHN WAWROW AP Hockey Writer
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Macklin Celebrini headlined an NHL draft by going first overall to the San Jose Sharks on a night hockey and Las Vegas royalty mixed company under the visual spectacle the Sphere on Friday night.
French-Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion shared the stage with the likes of former Sharks star Joe Thornton and rookie of the year Connor Bedard by announcing the selections to provide the event a true Vegas flair. And to top it off, the newly established Utah Hockey Club leaned on NHL pedigree in making Kelowna center Tij Iginla the franchise’s first selection with the No. 6 pick. Iginla is the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, who spent much of his career in Calgary.
Celebrini becomes a foundational piece for the Sharks and his selection came as no surprise after the 18-year-old became just the fourth freshman to win the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player. He did so as the nation’s youngest player, too, finishing second with 34 goals and third with 64 points in 38 games.
The 6-foot, 200-pound player from North Vancouver, British Columbia, already has ties to the Bay Area. Celebrini played for the Junior Sharks program after his father, Rick, was hired to be the Golden State Warriors’ sports medicine director.
“Just a surreal feeling,” Celebrini said in becoming the Sharks’ first No. 1 overall pick. “I’ve dreamed about this moment ever since I was a kid, and for it to come true, it’s just an amazing feeling.”
Celebrini was undecided on whether he will return to BU for a second year, but he deepens a talented prospect pool on a Sharks team in the midst of its longest playoff drought, now spanning five years.
The Chicago Blackhawks took Michigan State defenseman Artyom Levshunov of Belarus with the second pick, with his name announced by Bedard, the No. 1 pick last year. This marked the third draft to have college players to go 1-2, and first since 2021 when Michigan teammates Owen Power and Matty Beniers were chosen first and second.
Levshunov became the fourth overall player from Belarus to be selected in the first round of the NHL draft, and first since first since Montreal took forward Andrei Kostitsyn 10th in 2003. He also became the earliest selected player from Belarus chosen after defenseman Ruslan Salei went ninth to Anaheim in 1996.
The draft was filled with surprise guests — such as Dion — who took the podium to announce her hometown Montreal Canadiens taking Russian forward Ivan Demidov at No. 5. And there was at least one surprise pick with the Anaheim Ducks’ selection of Oshawa forward Beckett Sennecke at No. 3.
Sennecke could be seen mouthing “Oh, my God,” to his father upon hearing former Ducks star Scott Niedermayer announce the pick. Sennecke was ranked 12th among North American players by NHL Central Scouting after finishing with 27 goals and 68 points in 63 games last season in the Ontario Hockey League.
“Well, I mean, I went third, so I guess that’s where I went. I’m not going to speculate on where I thought,” Sennecke said, when asked when he thought he might go. “I just said, Oh, my God. Oh, my God.' And to my mom, I said,Oh, my God. Oh, my God.’ And then I saw my mom and my sister and they all started crying so, yeah, pretty emotional.”
Columbus followed by selecting Medicine Hat center Cayden Lindstrom at No. 4.
Utah, which relocated form Arizona to Salt Lake City, two months ago selected Iginla, in ending any chance of Calgary landing the son of their former star at No. 9.
“It’s so unpredictable,” said Jarome Iginla who was selected 11th overall by Dallas in the 1995 draft before being traded months later to Calgary. “Every city’s a great city, but Utah, we’re excited. … We’re very happy for him. He’s worked hard, and it’s a big day.”
The Iginla’s become the sixth father-son duo taken in the top 15 of the draft.
Four defensemen were selected among the top 10 picks — capped by the New Jersey Devils picking Russia’s Anton Silayev, who is listed at 6-foot-7, and 211 pounds . And six blueliners went among the top 12, after Minnesota traded into the 12th spot to draft University of Denver defenseman Zeev Buium.
Celebrini’s selection was announced by Thornton. The No. 1 player drafted by Boston in 1997, Thornton opened by saying, “The San Jose Sharks are proud to select from Boston University,” before briefly pausing with a smile, and then said Celebrini’s name and pointing to him in the stands.
“I’m super excited he made the pick,” Celebrini said. “Obviously, a Sharks legend and an NHL legend, so that was real exciting.”
The draft featured the added spectacle of being held at the year-old Sphere, a globe-shaped venue over-looking the Las Vegas strip and featuring video screens on the inside and outside of its structure.
The 32 teams were gathered at tables beneath the wrap-around screen covering almost three-quarters of the curved wall broadcasting scenes from the draft to the crowd overlooking the floor and seated the multi-deck facility. The draft opened with the screen featuring pictures of more than 100 of the eligible prospects.
A small stage was erected in the middle of the floor, where Commissioner Gary Bettman was joined by teams to announce the selections.
Celebrini failed to register a point in just six games at BU. His production accelerated over the second half of the season by combining for 22 goals and 39 points in his final 17 games in helping the Terriers reach the Frozen Four, which they lost in the semifinal to eventual champion Denver.