Macklin Celebrini Reveals When & Why He Decided To Sign With The Sharks

Newly signed San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini was under a lot of pressure to decide to turn pro, and the No. 1 pick finally revealed when he did.

Celebrini said that after the exit meetings for development camp, he knew he would sign his ELC.

"I've been thinking about it since the draft. Throughout the week, meeting everyone. I think over this week, I knew the decision I had to make," Celebrini said. "It was a quick turn between the draft and camp. The guys I'm growing with through this process it's really exciting. There's a lot of potential for our group."

Celebrini joins Will Smith as the top Sharks prospects to sign their entry-level contracts and leave the NCAA for the NHL.

But why did he decide to turn pro? Celebrini said many of the offseason moves that GM Mike Grier is making helped sway his decision. Grier said that after the draft, he met with Celebrini and his family to lay out a plan for him.

"They did an amazing job.[The Sharks] brought in some veteran guys. Some guys that have played in the league a long time," Celebrini said. "They already had some guys, some key pieces that are really important to the culture if you want to win. That was a big factor, for sure."

Celebrini said he will head to Vancouver to begin his offseason training program. He and his family are originally from there, and they will stay there during the offseason.

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