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Macklin Celebrini, who is all but guaranteed to be the Sharks' selection with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, is quite familiar with San Jose's current top prospect Will Smith.
Smith, whom the Sharks selected No. 4 in the 2023 NHL Draft, has squared off with Celebrini on a handful of occasions over the last few years, including four matchups between their collegiate squads last season.
In speaking to reporters at the 2024 NHL Scouting Combine, Celebrini was asked about competing against Smith, with the presumed No. 1 overall pick offering a light-hearted but blunt assessment of the epic battles with his potential future teammate.
"It wasn't very fun," Celebrini told reporters with a grin on his face. "He's a special player. I played against him for the last three or four years, so I've seen a lot of him. He's a great player, super shifty, super smooth. Every time we went up against him, he lit us up. He's a great player."
During an exclusive interview with NBC Sports California contributor Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now, Celibrini detailed the toughest aspect of facing off with Smith.
"He always makes things happen," Celebrini told Peng. "I think his stats from this year speak for themselves. He had, [what], 71 points this year? Every time he was on the ice he always made something happen; he was always dangerous. I feel like that was one thing that was really difficult about him to play against.
"He completes the plays you don't think he'll complete."
Celebrini's Boston University Terriers faced Smith's Boston College Eagles four times during the 2023-34 NCAA Men's D-1 Hockey season. While both enjoyed individual success, Smith's numbers were jarring, scoring five goals and recording four assists in those four matchups.
After years of fierce competition, Celebrini now has the opportunity to join forces with Smith, and potentially terrorize opposing teams for years to come as the pair spearhead the Sharks' rebuild, with San Jose attempting to return among the NHL's elite.
Daniel Weinman was crowned winner of the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event on Monday, taking home a record breaking $12.1 million in winnings. Weinman had to outlast the other 10,043 entrants to take home the prize and get his hands on his share of live poker’s largest ever prize pool – a staggering $93,399,900. As well as taking home the prize money, 35-year-old Weinman also got his hands on the WSOP Main Event bracelet. The huge bracelet contains 500 grams of 10-karat yellow gold, as well as 2,352 various precious gemstones.
Daniel Weinman won the World Series of Poker's main event world championship on Monday in Las Vegas, earning $12.1 million along the way. Playing in the tournament for a 16th year, Weinman was tops in a deep pool of 10,043 players vying for $93.39 million. His victory came after just 164 hands at the final table. "I was honestly on the fence about even coming back and playing this tournament," the 35-year-old Atlanta native told reporters afterward. Weinman's final table featured Jan-Peter Jachtmann, who landed in fourth place and took home $3 million, as well as Toby Lewis, who finished seventh and secured $1.42 million. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the main event's entry pool far outpaced the previous record of 8,773 set in 2006. "I've always kind of felt that poker was kind of going in a dying direction, but to see the numbers at the World Series this year has been incredible," Weinman said. "And to win this main event, it doesn't feel real. I mean, [there's] so much luck in a poker tournament. I thought I played very well." Steven Jones finished second, securing $6.5 million. And Adam Walton settled for third and a $4 million prize.
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