Sharks Top Pick Macklin Celebrini Talks Rehab Before His Return From Injury

Going into this NHL season, one of the most talked about players in a crowded rookie class was San Jose Sharks first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini, and for good reasons. He’s an unbelievable player.

However, the early part of his NHL career hasn’t gone swimmingly with injuries forcing him to miss most of the preseason and all but one regular season game so far.

That changes Tuesday night as the 18-year-old returns to the Sharks lineup when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets, and he’s been talking about how it felt to have his career get off to such an unfortunate start.

Spoiler alert: he’s not loving it.

"It [stunk] playing one game and then having to sit out for a bit," Celebrini said on Monday according to NHL.com. "It's the right thing to do, so I'm feeling great now, and [I] can't wait to get back out there."

I'm sure it stunk and I'm sure Celebrini wasn't the only one feeling that way. Going into Tuesday night's game the Sharks are just 3-8-2. Yeah, I know no one expected them to be world-beaters but, having more than three wins come early November would have been ideal.

Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini will appear in his second NHL game when he hits the ice on Tuesday night after battling an injury through the first month of his pro career.. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Of course, Celebrini is a big piece of their puzzle and even in the one game he played, He had two points in the Sharks’ season opener.

Celebrini also revealed that the injury he has been dealing with is a reaggregation of the same hip injury that caused him to miss the bulk of the preseason.

"When I went into the boards I hurt my hip a little bit in the preseason game," Celebrini said. "I rehabbed it. I didn't play any preseason games after that and then rehabbed. It was feeling really good, and then [I] reaggravated it during the first game, first shift. I didn't want to not play in that game, so I kind of stuck through it, but at the end of the game something didn't feel right.

"It was just a lot of gym work [and] strengthening all the muscles around [the hip]. [I was] doing a lot of exercises where I'm moving the right way and not putting it in jeopardy."

The best way for the Sharks to welcome Celebrini back? 

That will be to add another game to the win column.