Macklin Celebrini’s family-centered journey to the top of the 2024 NHL draft class
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Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter
NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C. — At the foothills of the North Shore mountains is an unassuming mid-century modern home that blends in with the other houses in the neighborhood.
Inside this house is a large, round walnut dining table. There are six chairs around this table, one seat for each member of the Celebrini family, even when they are not all under the same roof.
Macklin Celebrini sits off in the distance while he listens to his mother, Robyn, along with his two brothers, Aiden and R.J., share stories.
So much has been said about why the San Jose Sharks are going to take the Boston University center with the No. 1 pick of the NHL draft. But as for the path Macklin took? Few know the story in the way that only his family can tell. What becomes evident is that family is the No. 1 priority for the NHL’s next No. 1 pick.
“Our parents have done such a good job of teaching us how to act the right way, how to carry ourselves the right way,” Macklin said. “That’s something me and my siblings have all learned. You’re never bigger than anyone because of success or anything. It all comes from how good of a person you are and that’s something they’ve preached to us. Just be a good person first.”
A good person is a father who takes a job with the Golden State Warriors to give his family an even better life. A good person is a mother who drives her children five hours round trip so her three sons can train at a rink while she hits tennis balls for three hours with her daughter. A good person is a 19-year-old older brother who was already drafted by an NHL team but has the humility to admit that his younger brother is the better player. A good person is the 11-year-old youngest child who proudly states he wants to be like his two older brothers because they are his role models.
“I definitely think I want to do what they’re doing,” R.J. said of his brothers. “They’re having lots of success and I want to follow their footsteps.”
The love that comes from having all of those good people in his life has remained the constant for an 18-year-old who has spent the last few years building the expectation he could be the NHL’s next superstar.
Having that love is what allowed Aiden and Macklin to go to Shattuck-St. Mary’s School, nearly 2,000 miles away from home in Faribault, Minnesota. That same love allowed them to handle what it meant to be apart when they played junior hockey in different leagues before reuniting at BU.
That strong support system played an instrumental role in Macklin being able to do things that haven’t been seen in many years. The 32 goals and 64 points he scored in 38 games led to winning the Hobey Baker Award as the nation’s top men’s collegiate player and were the second-most points in a single season by a 17-year-old.
These are among the numerous reasons why Macklin is expected to go first to the Sharks in the 2024 NHL draft (Friday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Even if it’s a foregone conclusion that he’s going to go first to the Sharks in what’s been referred to colloquially as the “Celebrini Draft,” Macklin won’t make any assumptions with what he describes as “the uncertainty of the draft.”
“Well, I’m not going to get ahead of myself for sure,” Macklin smiled. “I can’t really speak on something that hasn’t happened yet.”
The way Robyn explains it, Rick’s job was to pick their children’s names — with the understanding she had veto power.
There was a long list of names they considered, but none of them seemed to fit. Rick continued to look for options when he came across Macklin. They liked how it sounded along with the fact it could be shortened to “Mack” or “Mackie” by his friends. And as Robyn joked, she calls him by his full name, Macklin, whenever he’s in trouble.
Rick and Robyn were soccer players who wanted to raise “healthy and happy” children regardless of what sports they played. That gave Macklin — whom Robyn described as “curious and rambunctious and mischievous” — an outlet.
Macklin and his siblings did everything between gymnastics, swimming, soccer, tennis and hockey.
“We certainly didn’t imagine this with what’s happening right now,” Robyn said. “Nor did we ever limit their goals and their dreams. We knew it was possible but we would never tell our kids, ‘No, that’s never going to happen.’ But at the same time, we never set out for this to happen.”
Robyn had an inkling that Macklin was good at hockey. Aiden said his feelings about his brother were confirmed when he played at The Brick Hockey Invitational Tournament. First played in 1990, The Brick is an annual youth tournament that sees teams from across the continent compete against one another.
And yes, there are highlights of a 10-year-old Celebrini at The Brick. He was a defenseman at the time, but still found ways to score goals. Like when he got the puck at center ice, beat his defender and scored on a wrist shot. There was another where he exited the defensive zone, sped through the neutral zone and passed the puck once he was in the offensive zone, only to be in position to score a goal seconds later.
What he did at The Brick had Aiden thinking about Macklin’s path.
“He obviously liked scoring goals more,” Aiden said, smiling. “He wasn’t the top scorer but there was a level of exceptional about him that I just knew. I saw him compared to the other kids and I’m biased, but I had faith he’d come out on top. There was a compete [level] in him at such a young age and that’s what really separated him. He was a winner. That’s his biggest quality now. He’ll do whatever it takes to win.”
Underneath Macklin’s approachably friendly demeanor lies a drive to win at all costs. There are stories about how Macklin gets angry when he loses at anything.
Board games, chess, pickleball — it doesn’t matter.
“We’ve had our fair share of fistfights over you name it,” Aiden said with his mother cackling in the background. “Whether it’s pickup basketball, soccer, mini-sticks, chess. There’s always — something’s about to blow. It’s gotten more civil nowadays. Maybe it’s because we’ve both matured a little bit. But there’s no escaping the competitiveness in this family in general.
“When I say everyone in this family hates to lose, I mean hates. There have been chess matches where the competitors didn’t talk to each other for a while. I can’t really name two people because we’re all guilty of it.”
R.J., however, provided more insight into how things really work. He said Aiden is the best chess player in the family and that he usually wins.
It’s what made R.J.’s first victory over his brother one he’ll always remember.
“That was the best day of my life!” R.J. said.
Both Rick and Robyn grew up in Vancouver, and that’s where they met. All their family and friends are there. They weren’t actively looking to leave. But when Rick was offered the opportunity to be the Warriors’ director of sports medicine and performance, it was clear that taking the job would be the best thing for their family.
Moving away meant making adjustments, particularly when it came to hockey. Vancouver has an affinity for the sport at practically every level. Its youth have gone on to play in the NHL and the PWHL. The city’s love-hate relationship with the Canucks (that’s currently love) is a year-round obsession. This is all to say that there’s seemingly endless opportunities for youth hockey players.
The Bay Area does have hockey infrastructure. The Sharks have been around since 1991 and have built a passionate following. But it’s not the same as living in a hockey-crazed locale such as Vancouver, where the game is much more accessible.
“Our kids went to regular school when we lived [in Vancouver] and when we moved, we realized getting on the ice or getting extra ice time down there was very difficult,” Robyn said. “So, they did online school. We just decided to keep them home and do online school and access more of the on-ice opportunities and development opportunities during the day when all the other kids were at school, because that was the only way we were going to be able to try to maintain the hours they did. It was a big sacrifice.”
The Celebrinis moved to the Bay Area in August 2019. Macklin was thriving while playing Triple-A hockey for the San Jose Jr. Sharks U14 team, scoring 49 goals and 94 points in 54 games.
In March 2020, that situation was upended by the pandemic.
With most facilities shuttered, the Celebrinis were looking for a rink where Aiden, Macklin and R.J. could continue their on-ice training while living in San Jose. They eventually found a small rink that was open just outside of Sacramento.
Five days a week for several weeks, Robyn and her children piled into their car at 6 a.m. and made what was a five-hour round-trip trek. Aiden, Macklin, R.J. along with their sister, Charlie, would do their schoolwork on those car rides before arriving at their destination.
That’s when Aiden, Macklin and R.J. all did what Robyn described as “self-directed skating and skill development” during what amounted to be 90-minute individual sessions. After Robyn dropped off her sons at the rink, she and her daughter, Charlie, would find a tennis court where they would practice and hit balls for at least three hours before returning to the rink to pick up the boys and head back to San Jose.
Making those trips allowed Macklin to continue his development. It led to both him and Aiden spending two seasons playing at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, the same program that developed future NHL stars such as Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, Zach Parise and Nathan MacKinnon. Macklin scored 51 goals and 141 points in his first season for the 14U team, and he scored 50 goals and 117 points in 52 games the next season playing for the 18U team.
“Like everyone, you’re trying to find ice and where to train, because you didn’t want to lose any ground. But looking back, it is crazy,” Macklin said. “It’s the thing that we did. That’s one of the sacrifices my parents made for us. That’s seven hours of their day that they’re spending kind of catering to us and making sure we have everything we need. Looking back, it was crazy that we did that but at the time, it was our only choice.”
3:19
Top NHL prospect Macklin Celebrini’s connection to the Golden State Warriors
Emily Kaplan profiles NHL prospect Macklin Celebrini and his relationship with the Golden State Warriors.
Most Canadian kids with NHL aspirations traditionally use the Major Junior route as the primary development path to reach the game’s highest level. Major Junior leagues such as the Ontario Hockey League, the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League have produced superstars such as Crosby, MacKinnon and Connor McDavid.
Moving to the United States means the Celebrinis were presented with another option beyond the WHL. College hockey has fostered the growth of elite Canadian players such as Toews but a recent surge has seen NCAA programs gain greater visibility for their roles in developing Cale Makar, Owen Power and Adam Fantilli.
The Celebrini’s chose the college route. That meant Aiden played juniors for the Brooks Bandits in the Alberta Junior Hockey League while Macklin played for the Chicago Steel in the USHL.
Aiden said that year apart was hard because their family is so close. But that time allowed him to find out more about himself as a person, which was also the case with Macklin.
Aiden and Macklin could have gone to different universities. But what made BU work is that they felt the Terriers had the coaching staff and facilities that could help them develop. There was also the chance that they could play together for at least one season, with the reality that they might never get another opportunity to be teammates.
“From each of us starting our individual process … we’ve experienced being in charge of our own journey but also being part of the other’s,” Aiden said. “Having that year where we played junior hockey apart, being able to go to school together was such an amazing thing for both of us. But at the same time, we wanted to make it for the right reasons. Neither of us wanted to make that decision for the other one, but wanted to find a place that was right for us.”
Going to BU was a chance for Macklin to refine the skills that not only made him the most dominant player on the ice, but could make him the sort of player who could be in the NHL at age 18. Aiden, a sixth-round pick by the Canucks in 2023, found BU appealing because it allowed him a slightly longer development runway.
That’s what made their year together even more rewarding. They were able to receive the individual development they needed. They were able to get that development while playing for a team that finished 28-10-2 and reached the Frozen Four, where they lost to the eventual national champion, Denver, in overtime.
But they were also able to spend time together away from hockey because they knew there was a chance everything could change if Macklin decided to leave BU after one season.
Playing at BU also allowed Aiden the opportunity to go through the time-honored challenge of seeing how their teammates could defend Macklin in practice.
“I’ve told him that as a defenseman, it’s difficult to defend him because he has that need, that want to score,” Aiden said. “At the same time, throughout the years I feel like I have learned to push his buttons and crack the code that is defending him. But it’s definitely not easy and it still isn’t easy. There’d be days I’d get the better of him and other days it feels like he’s a ghost.”
For a family as competitive as the Celebrinis, what allows Aiden to be comfortable admitting that defending his younger brother is a problem?
“Seeing him on the path he’s on, it’s not always easy being the brother,” Aiden said with Macklin just a few feet away. “You have your own challenges being compared to that, but at the end of the day, my love for him transcends all that. I’m so proud of him. I’m his biggest fan above all else. … I don’t think we see it as me versus him. We’re just so happy for each other’s successes. We’re there for our own journeys, but we’re there to help each other too.”
1:26
Meet the top prospects of the 2024 NHL draft
Meet the top prospects ahead of the 2024 NHL draft, including Macklin Celebrini, Artyom Levshunov, Cayden Lindstrom and Zeev Buium.
After the Sharks won the NHL draft lottery, Robyn had a spark of inspiration. Her thought was that the casita that became Aiden and Macklin’s room could use some updates, now that it looked like her second-oldest child would be moving closer to his family.
That’s when Rick broke the news to his wife: Macklin is not going to be living with his parents while he’s playing in the NHL. Especially when his parents live in Livermore — a 40-minute drive with no traffic in a metro area where traffic is nearly ever present.
“I mean, it’s close but not that close for a daily commute,” Macklin said. “If this was a couple years ago when we rented a house 10 minutes from the practice facility, then I’d probably live at home. It’s just far enough that I don’t think that would happen.”
Speaking of San Jose, the fact that his family lives there and he spent time with the Jr. Sharks has led to a discussion about Macklin being the closest thing to a hometown talent the franchise has ever had.
Macklin is aware of those conversations. He said while he loved living in the Bay Area, he was born and raised in Vancouver. That’s the place he considers his hometown while recognizing that the Bay Area has been a home for him and his family.
But having Macklin in the Bay Area where he could come visit or they could visit him while watching his games is more than what Rick and Robyn would have expected. Mainly because when a high-achieving couple like Rick and Robyn raise high-achieving children, it means nobody is in one place for too long.
As the Celebrinis spoke in Vancouver about Macklin’s path, they were missing Rick and Charlie. Rick was back in the Bay Area while Charlie was representing Canada at a tennis tournament in Mexico. Although Aiden and Macklin can spend time together, Robyn and R.J. have to travel to a youth hockey tournament in Montreal.
Being on the move between different countries — while operating in different time zones — is how the Celebrinis have come to navigate the world.
“I appreciate them more because I don’t get to see them a lot,” R.J. said. “It’s definitely awesome to have them here this summer. I just want to spend as much time with them as I can before they both go back to Boston or Mack to San Jose.”
Robyn jokes that everyone having such a hectic schedule is why they’ve not had many, if any, family vacations over the past five years. That’s another reason why the NHL draft holds such a special meaning.
It’s a celebration. But also a chance for the six of them to be together along with their grandparents, aunts and uncles in Las Vegas.
Thinking about what that moment will be like for his family causes Macklin to review the things his family did to get him there. He brings up how his dad moved to the Bay Area a year early and lived by himself while his mom raised him and his siblings by herself in Vancouver.
“It’s my dad leaving work early to take one of us to practice so my mom could take one of us to tennis or whatever,” Macklin said. “Their lives have been around helping us succeed and doing everything they can to help us achieve our goals. I don’t think any of us could say enough to let them know how much we appreciate them.”
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Sean Allen
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Victoria Matiash
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Victoria Matiash
Fantasy Hockey
- ESPN.com Fantasy Contributor since 2010
- Part-time anchor at NEWSTALK1010
Another week, another No. 1 landing spot for the Winnipeg Jets in the ESPN NHL Power Rankings. But who finishes 2-32?
Plus, it’s another fantasy hockey takeover week, with Sean Allen and Victoria Matiash identifying one player per team who is off to a slow start (relative to his teammates or expectations) and advising fantasy managers whether to have patience or panic at this time.
And as a reminder, it’s not too late to join ESPN Fantasy Hockey. Sign up for free and start playing today!
How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday, which generates our master list here.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Nov. 8. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.
Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 88.24%
Cole Perfetti, LW (28.9% rostered in ESPN Fantasy leagues): As difficult as it is to find fault with anything Jets-related these days, Perfetti isn’t quite meeting 2024-25 fantasy expectations yet. But the 22-year-old remains cemented on the Jets’ second scoring line and power play, and he has pitched in enough multipoint showings to merit another look in deeper leagues. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ FLA (Nov. 16), vs. FLA (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 73.33%
Brent Burns, D (69.5%): The writing had been on the wall, faintly sketched with a carpenter’s pencil, but now it’s been retraced in ink. Shayne Gostisbehere has the power play on lock, and Burns doesn’t put up the points without it now. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. OTT (Nov. 16), vs. STL (Nov. 17), @ PHI (Nov. 20), @ NJ (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 67.65%
Gustav Forsling, D (68.8%): Playoff heroics can inflate rostership numbers even this far into the future, but Forsling isn’t a must-have fantasy contributor. You can find a defenseman with a higher ceiling among your league’s free agents. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. WPG (Nov. 16), @ WPG (Nov. 19), @ CHI (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 78.13%
Marc-Andre Fleury, G (51.8%): As long as Filip Gustavsson continues to perform dependably well, the veteran No. 2 isn’t going to play much. There are other lesser-rostered backups in the league — Jake Allen and Jonathan Quick come to mind — who offer more fantasy punch than Fleury. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. DAL (Nov. 16), @ STL (Nov. 19), @ EDM (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 70.00%
Matt Roy, D (45.6%): After a breakout fantasy campaign with the Kings last season, cut Roy some slack. He has had only a handful of games to get used to his new teammates, and the minutes are there to get the job done. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ COL (Nov. 15), @ VGK (Nov. 17), @ UTA (Nov. 18), vs. COL (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 70.00%
Mika Zibanejad, C (95.6%): Zibanejad has had slow starts before — 1.78 FPPG in 2021-22 and 1.93 FPPG last season — yet still finished over 2.00 FPPG. His current 1.58 FPPG isn’t alarming. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ SEA (Nov. 17), @ VAN (Nov. 19), @ CGY (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 68.75%
Brayden McNabb, D (52.3%): Returning to his selfless ways — highlighted by five blocked shots against the Ducks Wednesday — McNabb is already working back into his fantasy managers’ good graces. While hardly a prolific producer, the veteran should start pitching in a few more points, too. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ UTA (Nov. 15), vs. WSH (Nov. 17), @ TOR (Nov. 20), @ OTT (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 65.00%
Luke Hughes, D (39.1%): He did an admirable job filling in for an injured Dougie Hamilton as a rookie last season, but unless that situation arises again, it looks as though Hughes is out of the limelight for this campaign. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ TB (Nov. 16), vs. CAR (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 66.67%
Roope Hintz, C (79.8%): Some bad puck luck, illustrated by his 6.7% shooting percentage through six recent contests (career: 16.5%), is partially to blame for Hintz’s current skid. But the perennial 30-plus goal scorer is bound to get back on track soon, especially once Peter DeBoer inevitably juggles his lines again. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ MIN (Nov. 16), vs. ANA (Nov. 18), vs. SJ (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 63.33%
Filip Hronek, D (51.9%): He’s averaging approximately a single shot and blocked shot per game. Unlike last season, the compensatory scoring isn’t there to make up for those shortcomings. Hronek appears far more valuable to the Canucks as Quinn Hughes‘ defensive partner than to his fantasy managers. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. CHI (Nov. 16), vs. NSH (Nov. 17), vs. NYR (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 58.33%
Quinton Byfield, RW (43.2%): The lack of a single power-play point is one concern, along with his removal from the top unit. Through the fantasy lens, so is Byfield’s third-line role. If all remains as is, we might be in for another season of inconsistent fantasy returns. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. DET (Nov. 16), vs. BUF (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 61.11%
Matthew Knies, LW (42.4%): He has been making hay while the sun shines, so to speak, as he gets first power-play unit access while Auston Matthews is out. The confidence boost should carry over to when Matthews returns, and they are linemates again. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. EDM (Nov. 16), vs. VGK (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 55.88%
Jeff Skinner, C (45.0%): Afforded the opportunity to compete alongside just about every Oiler up front, including two of the best centers in the biz, the veteran winger has nonetheless failed to offer much of a productive presence. Now Skinner appears relegated to Edmonton’s fourth line. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ TOR (Nov. 16), @ MTL (Nov. 18), @ OTT (Nov. 19), vs. MIN (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 56.67%
Jake Guentzel, LW (98.8%): Guentzel’s overall output is fantastic already, but with just two power-play points so far, he has yet to add his usual production with the man advantage. If he does, his already strong fantasy profile could get a big boost. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. NJ (Nov. 16), @ PIT (Nov. 19), @ CBJ (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 52.94%
Devon Toews, D (66.7%): While it has taken the defender time to warm up after a delayed start to 2024-25, Toews now appears back in his groove: blocking shots, contributing to the score sheet and skating more minutes than nearly everyone else. Cale Makar‘s partner hasn’t averaged 0.58 points per game throughout his career by accident. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. WSH (Nov. 15), @ PHI (Nov. 18), @ WSH (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 53.13%
Linus Ullmark, G (84.8%): The Senators are showing signs of competing, and we know Ullmark is capable of being among the best. Patience might already be paying off with some of his recent road outings against tough division rivals. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ CAR (Nov. 16), vs. EDM (Nov. 19), vs. VGK (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 55.88%
Nazem Kadri, C (78.4%): While no one is scoring much for the Flames these days, including their No. 1 center, this too shall pass. Perhaps it’ll play out like last season, when Kadri collected two points in October before erupting for 13 in November, then maintained that scoring pace for the duration of the season. Also, he shoots the puck a lot. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. NSH (Nov. 15), vs. NYI (Nov. 19), vs. NYR (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 50.00%
Charlie McAvoy, D (89.9%): The Bruins’ offense might be slower this season, but McAvoy’s 1.64 FPPG is still too low. Give him time. Not enough has changed to drop him far from his 2.29 FPPG average over the past three seasons. Verdict: Patience
Next seven days: vs. STL (Nov. 16), vs. CBJ (Nov. 18), vs. UTA (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 53.13%
Barrett Hayton, C (17.5%): According to analysis by Evolving Hockey, the third-line center (for now) should be scoring more goals in accordance with the quality of his shots. That offers some comfort in light of his current skid. While Hayton certainly needs to play more minutes and shoot on net more often, he doesn’t merit giving up entirely in deeper fantasy leagues. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. VGK (Nov. 15), vs. WSH (Nov. 18), @ BOS (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 52.94%
Brock Nelson, C (76.9%): The Isles’ collective offense isn’t weaker than it has been for several years. Nelson has averaged 2.03 FPPG across the past three seasons. He’ll come around. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ SEA (Nov. 16), @ CGY (Nov. 19), @ DET (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 50.00%
Patrick Kane, RW (66.3%): If the Red Wings’ power play were in the dumps, maybe we could preach patience for Kane. But it’s not, and it might be time to move on from Kane in fantasy. He is getting all the opportunities required and is just not producing. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ ANA (Nov. 15), @ LA (Nov. 16), @ SJ (Nov. 18), vs. NYI (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 50.00%
Dylan Cozens, C (49.3%): It is time to move off Cozens. He had that banner 2022-23 but is now matching the reduced fantasy production that lasted all of last season. Even an uptick in performance might not be enough to get to fantasy relevance from his current 1.41 FPPG. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ PHI (Nov. 16), @ LA (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 50.00%
Adam Larsson, D (60.5%): Despite the relative drought, the top-pair defenseman still blocks a sufficient number of shots to merit rostering in deeper standard leagues. Plus, he’ll soon fall back into his usual (however relatively modest) scoring groove. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. NYI (Nov. 16), vs. NYR (Nov. 17), vs. NSH (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 44.12%
Jordan Binnington, G (55.1%): After winning the season opener against Seattle, the Blues’ No. 1 has yet to beat anyone outside of the Atlantic Division. Shouldering a 4-7-0 record, .887 save percentage and 3.26 goals-against average, Binnington has cost his fantasy managers a total net loss of 1.8 points. Yes, negative points. There are likely brighter days ahead for the banged-up Blues, but when? Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ BOS (Nov. 16), @ CAR (Nov. 17), vs. MIN (Nov. 19), vs. SJ (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 47.06%
Joel Farabee, LW (50.7%): Farabee, Tyson Foerster, Scott Laughton; Take your pick of Flyers who were just picking up some fantasy momentum in their career but have been buried on the depth chart by the new core group. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. BUF (Nov. 16), vs. COL (Nov. 18), vs. CAR (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 38.24%
Teuvo Teravainen, RW (41.4%): The Blackhawks’ offseason acquisition has one goal and zero assists in his past 11 games, and he isn’t shooting with any consistency. Even back on a scoring line with Connor Bedard, Teravainen can’t be counted on to contribute regularly enough. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ VAN (Nov. 16), vs. ANA (Nov. 19), vs. FLA (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 41.67%
Erik Karlsson, D (94.1%): It’s been a season and a quarter now, so what we see from Karlsson as a Penguin might be what we get. He’s not the sole source of offense, so downgraded fantasy output is just the new normal. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ CBJ (Nov. 15), vs. SJ (Nov. 16), vs. TB (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 40.00%
Ivan Provorov, D (19.2%): No one on the Blue Jackets is underperforming in a big way, but even 20% rostership is too high for Provorov. If he’s not on the first pair, you can safely pretend he’s not there. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. PIT (Nov. 15), @ MTL (Nov. 16), @ BOS (Nov. 18), vs. TB (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 38.24%
Gustav Nyquist, RW (16.6%): Once replaced by Steven Stamkos on the Predators’ top line, Nyquist lost most of his fantasy charm. It’s no coincidence the winger was at his most productive when skating alongside Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ CGY (Nov. 15), @ VAN (Nov. 17), @ SEA (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 40.00%
Lukas Dostal, G (60.7%): The Ducks allow the most shots against (35.5 per game) while scoring the fewest goals (2.20 per game). Plus, a healthy John Gibson is back to share Anaheim’s crease. Dostal’s successful fantasy run was fun while it lasted. It’s time to move on. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. DET (Nov. 15), @ DAL (Nov. 18), @ CHI (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 36.11%
William Eklund, LW (56.2%): The sophomore is playing a ton of minutes, pitching in assists and now skating on a scoring line with Mikael Granlund. Which is a good thing. Yes, we’d all like to see him shoot more. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ PIT (Nov. 16), vs. DET (Nov. 18), @ DAL (Nov. 20), @ STL (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 35.29%
Sam Montembeault, G (22.3%): The Habs don’t look like they’ll win enough for Monty to shine in redraft leagues, but if you drafted him for a keeper league, there are positive signs for the future. Verdict: Patience, at least for the long term.
Next seven days: vs. CBJ (Nov. 16), vs. EDM (Nov. 18)
LAS VEGAS — Left-handers Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves and Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox won Major League Baseball’s Comeback Player of the Year awards on Thursday.
Cleveland right-hander Emmanuel Clase won his second AL Reliever of the Year award and St. Louis righty Ryan Helsley won the NL honor.
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani joined David Ortiz as the only players to win four straight Outstanding Designated Hitter awards. Ohtani and the New York Yankees‘ Aaron Judge won Hank Aaron Awards as the outstanding offensive performers in their leagues.
Major League Baseball made the announcements at its All-MLB Awards Show.
Sale, 35, was 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts in 177⅔ innings for the NL’s first pitching triple crown since the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw in 2011. He earned his eighth All-Star selection and first since 2018.
Sale helped Boston to the 2018 World Series title but made just 56 starts from 2020-23, going 17-18 with a 4.86 ERA, 400 strikeouts and 79 walks over 298⅓ innings. He was acquired by Boston from the White Sox in December 2016 and made nine trips to the injured list with the Red Sox, mostly with shoulder and elbow ailments. He had Tommy John surgery on March 30, 2020, and returned to a big league mound on Aug. 14, 2021.
Sale fractured a rib while pitching in batting practice in February 2022 during the management lockout. On July 17, in his second start back, he broke his left pinkie finger when he was hit by a line drive off the bat of the Yankees’ Aaron Hicks. Sale broke his right wrist while riding a bicycle en route to lunch on Aug. 6, ending his season.
Crochet, 25, was 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA over 32 starts for a White Sox team that set a post-1900 record of 121 losses, becoming a first-time All-Star. He struck out 209 and walked 33 in 146 innings.
He had Tommy John surgery on April 5, 2022, and returned to the major leagues on May 18, 2023. Crochet had a 3.55 ERA in 13 relief appearances in 2023, and then joined the rotation this year.
Sale and Crochet were chosen in voting by MLB.com beat writers.
Clase and Helsley were unanimous picks by a panel that included Hall of Famers Trevor Hoffman, Mariano Rivera, Dennis Eckersley and Rollie Fingers, along with John Franco and Billy Wagner. The AL award is named after Rivera and the NL honor after Hoffman.
A three-time All-Star, Clase was 4-2 with a 0.61 ERA, 66 strikeouts and 10 walks in 74⅓ innings, holding batters to a .154 average. The 26-year-old converted 47 of 50 save chances, including his last 47.
Voting was based on the regular season. Clase was 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in the playoffs, allowing three home runs, one more than his regular-season total.
Helsley, a two-time All-Star, was 7-4 with a 2.04 ERA and 49 saves in 53 chances. He struck out 79 and walked 23 in 66⅓ innings.
Ohtani became the first player with 50 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases in a season. A two-way star limited to hitting following elbow surgery, Ohtani batted .310 and led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs while stealing 59 bases.
Ortiz won the DH award five years in a row from 2003-07.
The DH award, named after Edgar Martinez, is picked in voting by team beat writers, broadcasters and public relations departments. MLB.com writers determined the finalists for the Aaron awards, and a fan vote was combined with picks from a panel of Hall of Famers and former winners to determine the selections.
Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers and 144 RBIs while hitting .322.
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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who lost his starting job earlier this week, will not be returning to the team, he announced Thursday night.
Castellanos, who started 12 games last season and retained the top job under new coach Bill O’Brien, wrote on X that “unfortunately, all good things come to an end, even though it’s sooner than I would like.” He did not mention the transfer portal in his departing message and has not officially entered it. The junior from Waycross, Georgia, started his career at UCF and appeared in five games in 2022.
O’Brien said Tuesday that Grayson James, who replaced Castellanos in last week’s win against Syracuse, will start Saturday when Boston College visits No. 14 SMU. Castellanos “wasn’t real thrilled” with the decision, O’Brien said, adding that the quarterback decided to step away from the team for several days.
Castellanos had 2,248 passing yards and 1,113 rushing yards last season under coach Jeff Hafley, passing for 15 touchdowns and adding 13 on the ground. He had 18 touchdown passes and only five interceptions this season, but his accuracy dipped in recent weeks, and he completed only 2 of 7 passes against Syracuse before being replaced.
In his statement, Castellanos thanked both coaching staffs he played for at Boston College and wrote that he had “some of the best experiences of my life in the Eagles Nest and I will truly cherish these memories forever.”
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