Macklin Celebrini is being evaluated after a late scratch and the Sharks were shut out in Dallas without him
By Verdexed NHL Desk
San Jose lost its captain a few minutes before puck drop on Monday night. Macklin Celebrini took part in warmups at American Airlines Center, left the ice earlier than usual, and the Sharks then announced he would not play because of a lower-body injury. Without him, San Jose lost 5-0 to the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger needed only 13 saves for the 17th shutout of his career.
Coach Ryan Warsofsky had no update on how serious it is after the game. He said the team would evaluate Celebrini that night and again Tuesday, and he pointed out that Celebrini stayed with the team in the building, which is the most encouraging detail so far. The Sharks were scheduled to practice in Dallas on Tuesday before heading to St. Louis, where they play the Blues on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. Until the Sharks give a real update, treat Celebrini as questionable for Thursday at best.
How the Sharks lined up without him
Alex Wennberg moved up to center the top line between Mason Marchment and Will Smith, the spot Celebrini held on the projected morning lineup. Ty Dellandrea, a healthy scratch for the first two games, came into the lineup. San Jose was already without forward Gaudette (upper body), and Warsofsky wants him to get a few more practices before his season debut.
The drop-off showed right away. The Sharks had two shots in the first period, and Dallas won 25 of 44 faceoffs. Darnell Nurse said the team misses Celebrini and called his absence a big hole in the lineup. Will Smith said the effort still had to be better. Yaroslav Askarov made 21 saves behind a team that spent most of the night in its own end, and the Sharks fell to 2-1-0.
| Line / role | With Celebrini (projected) | Monday at Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Top line | Marchment - Celebrini - W. Smith | Marchment - Wennberg - W. Smith |
| Second-line center | Alex Wennberg | Shuffled after Wennberg moved up |
| Extra forward | Ty Dellandrea scratched | Dellandrea in the lineup |
| Goalie | Yaroslav Askarov | Askarov, 21 saves in a 5-0 loss |
What San Jose is missing
Celebrini, 20, was the No. 1 pick in 2024 and set the Sharks' single-season scoring record last season with 115 points in 82 games. That ranked fourth in the NHL and was the third-highest total ever by a teenager, behind Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby. He has 183 points (70 goals, 113 assists) in 154 career games. He has also signed a five-year extension worth $18.8 million per season, the highest annual value in the league, that starts in 2027-28. Monday was his first missed game in nearly two years.
He had started this season fast too. He had five assists in two games, both overtime wins, which tied the franchise record for assists through a team's first two games.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Celebrini |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening week | Florida Panthers | W 4-3 (OT) | 3 assists |
| Oct. 3 | Los Angeles Kings | W 5-4 (OT) | 2 assists, set up Igor Chernyshov's OT winner |
| Oct. 5 | at Dallas Stars | L 0-5 | Scratched (lower body) |
| Oct. 8 | at St. Louis Blues | 8 p.m. ET | Being evaluated |
Fantasy fallout
Celebrini managers: Do not drop him, and do not panic-trade him off one late scratch. On a short-term injury he stays an every-week starter when healthy. In weekly-lineup leagues, try to wait for Thursday's morning skate or Wednesday's practice report. If you have to lock before then, the safe move is to start him only if you have no healthy replacement that is close in value. In daily leagues, keep him on the bench or in an IR slot until he skates in full.
Will Smith and Mason Marchment: Both wingers lose their best setup man. Wennberg is a capable two-way center, but he is not a primary distributor, and Monday's two-shot first period is a fair sign of what the top line looks like without Celebrini. Smith is talented enough to hold some value, but keep expectations modest until Celebrini returns. Marchment is a hold in deeper formats and a bench in shallow ones.
Alex Wennberg: He gets top-line minutes and probably more power-play time for as long as Celebrini is out. He is a short-term add in deep leagues and in leagues that count faceoffs, but not a priority pickup in standard 12-team formats. His value ends the day Celebrini returns.
Yaroslav Askarov: This hurts him the most among Sharks. A Celebrini-less team that gives up long stretches of zone time means more shots against and fewer wins. He still has volume value in save-based formats. In wins-and-ratios leagues, he is a sit for Thursday's game in St. Louis if Celebrini is ruled out.
Igor Chernyshov and Michael Misa: The two young forwards have driven some of San Jose's early offense, and Chernyshov scored twice against Los Angeles, including the overtime winner off a Celebrini pass. Both have upside but are still in sheltered roles. Watch the line rushes to see whether either one moves into the top six before you spend a waiver claim.
Betting angle
The betting read is simple. San Jose won two overtime games with Celebrini and was shut out in the one game without him. Markets usually take some time to adjust a price for one skater, but Celebrini is worth more to his team than almost any other forward in the league. If he is ruled out for Thursday, expect the Blues line to move toward St. Louis, and prices posted before his status is known carry real risk on the Sharks side.
There are two angles to watch. First, San Jose team totals and Sharks player point props get a lot weaker without their main distributor. Monday's Sharks shot total was very low, and an under on team shots or team goals is the cleaner expression of that than a full-game side. Second, Askarov's saves prop is the one Sharks number that can move the other way. More time in the defensive zone means more shots against, and Askarov saves overs make sense if he starts and Celebrini sits.
For a full view of the slate before Thursday, readers can check the NHL board at /nhl/predictions once Celebrini's status is known.
What to do in your league
1. Hold Celebrini everywhere. Move him to an IR slot only if San Jose actually places him on injured reserve. 2. Pick up Wennberg only in deep or faceoff leagues, and only as a short-term fill-in. 3. Lower your expectations for Smith and Marchment while Celebrini is out, but do not drop them. 4. Bench Askarov in wins-based formats for Thursday if Celebrini is ruled out, and favor him in saves-based formats. 5. In DFS, lean toward Blues skaters Thursday if Celebrini is out, and stay away from Sharks stacks.
What's next
San Jose's Tuesday practice in Dallas is the first chance to see whether Celebrini skates. The Sharks play in St. Louis on Thursday. If he is placed on injured reserve, he would be out at least seven days from the date of the injury under league rules, and the Sharks would likely call up a forward from the AHL. Whether he takes part in practice, in a non-contact jersey or not at all, is the key signal for fantasy managers this week. The Verdexed NHL Desk will update Celebrini's status once the Sharks give a timeline.