Celebrini Set to Return After Missing 12 Games Due to Injury

Macklin Celebrini is set to make his return to the ice Tuesday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, as confirmed by San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky to Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News.

Celebrini, who suffered a hip injury in the season opener against the St. Louis Blues, has not played since that game. In his debut, the 18-year-old forward scored his first NHL goal, registered an assist, and played 17:35. Despite the injury, Celebrini revealed that he was hurt on the first shift of the game but chose not to sit out. "Nothing would prevent me from playing Tuesday," he said Monday.

San Jose initially placed Celebrini on injured reserve on October 12, listing him as week-to-week. The Boston University standout, who won the prestigious Hobey Baker Award, also missed two preseason games due to an injury sustained in an exhibition game against Utah.

During Celebrini's absence, the Sharks struggled, posting a 3-8-1 record. They suffered eight consecutive losses after their season-opening defeat to the Blues, becoming the first NHL team in history to begin two straight seasons with nine consecutive losses. However, the Sharks have since won three straight before falling 3-2 to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.