Celebrini puts Sharks' woes above Calder talk: 'I just want to stop losing'
Macklin Celebrini is an 18-year-old rookie, but he's already talking like a veteran.
The San Jose Sharks phenom focused on the team's struggles Monday when asked about his pursuit of the Calder Trophy and an upcoming matchup with fellow hopeful Matvei Michkov and the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.
"I don't really know. It's cool for the outside people (who) look at it and compare (the award chase), but I just want to stop losing," Celebrini told reporters, including The Hockey News' Max Miller. "I just want to keep playing the way I'm playing. That doesn't really affect anything I do."
The Sharks have lost seven straight games - the worst current skid in the NHL - and they came into Monday with the second-worst points percentage (.359) in the league along with an 11-22-6 record. They're 1-9-1 in their last 11 contests.
"You get a lot more energy when you start winning games," Celebrini said when asked what he's learned during the skid. "No one wants to lose. Everyone hates losing. You can have a lot more fun. You can enjoy it a lot more when you win."
The first overall pick in June's draft is arguably the front-runner in the Calder race at the moment. He's tied with Michkov for the goals lead among rookies (12), and his 27 points trail the 20-year-old Flyer by two despite Celebrini having played eight fewer games after sitting out due to injury earlier in the season.
Celebrini leads the class' forwards in average ice time (19:58), and the second-place Michkov is playing over three minutes less than his counterpart at just 16:38 per night. Celebrini came into Monday pacing all rookies in even-strength goals (eight) and points (19).
The Sharks host the Flyers at 5 p.m. PST on Tuesday.