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The San Jose Sharks win the NHL draft lottery with expectation to select Macklin Celebrini No. 1

FILE - Boston University's Macklin Celebrini looks to pass the puck against Rochester during an NCAA men's college hockey tournament regional game March 28, 2024, in Sioux Falls, S.D. The San Jose Sharks, who won the NHL draft lottery, are projected to select Celebrini, who is considered this year's top prospect, and ranked first among North American skaters by the NHL's Central Scouting. (AP Photo/Josh Jurgens, File)
FILE - Boston University's Macklin Celebrini looks to pass the puck against Rochester during an NCAA men's college hockey tournament regional game March 28, 2024, in Sioux Falls, S.D. The San Jose Sharks, who won the NHL draft lottery, are projected to select Celebrini, who is considered this year's top prospect, and ranked first among North American skaters by the NHL's Central Scouting. (AP Photo/Josh Jurgens, File) FILE - Boston University's Macklin Celebrini looks to pass the puck against Rochester during an NCAA men's college hockey tournament regional game March 28, 2024, in Sioux Falls, S.D. The San Jose Sharks, who won the NHL draft lottery, are projected to select Celebrini, who is considered this year's top prospect, and ranked first among North American skaters by the NHL's Central Scouting. (AP Photo/Josh Jurgens, File)

By JOHN WAWROW / AP Hockey Writer 5 min read

Mike Grier was so elated over winning the NHL draft lottery on Tuesday night, the San Jose Sharks general manager dispensed with tradition by coming out and stating exactly who he expects to select with the No. 1 pick: Boston University center Macklin Celebrini.

Where past GMs in Grier’s position have kept their choice under wraps until they step to the podium on draft day, Macklin’s abilities and ties to San Jose were too much to keep it a secret for a Sharks team looking ahead to a brighter future.

“I think so, yeah,” Grier said when asked if he anticipates using the top pick on the 17-year-old forward, college hockey’s youngest Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner and NHL Scouting Bureau’s top-ranked prospect. “It’s a big moment for the organization and the fans here to have the opportunity to draft someone like Macklin.”

Grier then went so far as to envision where Celebrini will fit into his lineup to complement the Sharks veteran centers of Logan Couture and Mikael Granlund.

Suddenly, the sting of finishing last in the overall standings, a yearlong rebuilding process that led to San Jose trading aging stars such as Tomas Hertl, Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns and firing coach David Quinn, has been replaced by a buoyant sense of hope.