Sharks' Macklin Celebrini Reveals NHL Arena He Can't Wait to Play In

San Jose Sharks wunderkind Macklin Celebrini couldn’t have asked for a better debut in the NHL than the one he experienced on Thursday evening.

The Sharks' No. 1 overall pick from the 2024 NHL draft not only scored his first NHL goal but also added an assist during his very first period in a game as a professional.

At just 18 years old, Celebrini’s talent was on full display, but such a wondrous performance didn't take place in Celebrini's arena of choice and the one he's most excited to play in.

Growing up in Vancouver as a Canucks fan, Celebrini spent much of his childhood around Rogers Arena, where his father worked for the Canucks for four years.

That special connection makes the idea of playing there as an NHL player particularly meaningful for the young center, as he said ahead of his debut on Thursday.

“My dad worked there for four years, so I was able to go into the facility and skate on the ice a bunch of days,” Celebrini said, via The Hockey News . “To play an NHL game there is pretty cool.”

Although Rogers Arena is the one building that stands out the most for Celebrini, the Vancouver native is also excited about playing in other iconic arenas like Madison Square Garden, TD Garden and the Bell Centre in Montreal, according to Max Miller of The Hockey News.

Celebrini, at just 18 years and 119 days, became the sixth-youngest player to score in his NHL debut and the youngest since Aleksander Barkov did it at 18 years, 31 days, on Oct. 3, 2013 , per ESPN.

Related: Sharks' Macklin Celebrini's Short-Term Availability Hanging in the Balance