Celebrini on becoming new face of NHL: ‘We’re definitely getting there’

“I’d say we’re getting there – we’re definitely getting there,” said Warsofsky, the 19-year engine of his club.

“It’s games where you talk to the (other) coaches after the game, and they say he’s the best player on the ice. I think it’s his preparation and his drive is great. And it’s self-driving. I’m not catching him. He doesn’t need to be caught. He’s doing it.”

The kid is doing well, moving to the top of the league’s scoring lead last week before settling into the top five.

To put up 26 points in his first 17 games this season, considering the fact that Wayne Gretzky is the only other player aged 19 or younger to score more in the same time frame.

In 1980-81, the great one had 27 points.

Celebrini joins Sidney Crosby (26 in 2006-07) on a list that includes Steve Yzerman (25 in 1984-85), Jimmy Carson (24 in 1987-88) and Brian Trottier (24 in 1975-76).

“I think every coach would love to have Maclin Celebrini on his team, and he’s obviously going to get guys into fights,” said Warsofsky, who watched Celebrini lead his team to a 6-0-1 run that was halted by Films Thursday.

“His speed and his intensity to defend is obviously contagious, and I think people have really understood and seen that. From the veterans to our first-year players, they know what it takes. The way he’s prepared his body for every game is remarkable for a 19-year-old.”

As the son of Golden State Warriors VP of Player Health and Performance Rick Celebrini, the talented North Vancouver product has learned how to prepare the body and mind for greatness.

Combine that with pedigree, and you have the makings of a player well-positioned to join summer-training Paul Connor Bedard as possibly two other first-overall picks, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, as the league’s poster boys.

“This new generation is just a whole different level of skill and things that I was never taught, of course,” smiled Ryan Reeves, who has seen his share of young stars during his NHL journey.

“They’re just taught differently, the way they skate, the way they stack, the way they train, how they eat.”

And how to conduct yourself.

“He’s definitely not arrogant — I think he handles himself like he should, like a good player in this league,” Reeves added.

“He knows he’s still young and has a lot of respect for older people. His personality is just right — right where it should be.”

He certainly impressed the Team Canada brass with his style at the summertime confab in Calgary, making it all the more exciting for management to consider adding the red-hot center when the Olympic team is announced on Jan. 1.

As Team Canada GM Doug Armstrong told Tracy Myers of NHL.com earlier this week, Bedard and Celebrini “got our attention.”

“But more importantly,” added Armstrong, “these other participants have brought Team Canada’s focus, the coaches’ focus, and hockey in general, which is not only great for Team Canada, it’s great for the game.”

The Sharks’ 2-0 loss at the Saddledome Thursday marked just the fourth time in 18 outings Celebrini has been kept off the scoresheet this season, a big reason why the rebuilding Sharks are an astounding 8-7-3.

Celebrini’s experience at the World Championships last spring, learning a lot with Crosby and current scoring leader Nathan Mackinnon.

That, and being another year older has helped make Celebrini the most exciting sophomore in the game.

“Last year was a lot of new experiences, new teams, kind of getting a feel for everything,” said Celebrini, who finished third in the Calder Trophy voting last year with 25 goals and 63 points in 70 games.

“I think it’s just a sense of comfort this year, as with the team, with the guys we played with last year, it’s a little more familiar, I’d say.”

That’s helped him open the year with 10 goals and 16 assists, while averaging 20:32 of ice time a night for a team that just went on a seven-game spree that saw them outscore opponents 23-10.

“He’s scoring points every night, he’s scoring big goals, he’s getting shifts, getting momentum and leading in the locker room,” Reaves said.

“He’s just kind of doing a little bit of everything — everything you need your star players to do.”