The Sharks’ early-season meeting with the Edmonton Oilers already had the feel of a useful measuring stick. Now it has an even sharper edge, because Macklin Celebrini could be back in the lineup — or could still be watching from the sideline. That kind of uncertainty matters when it is only the fifth game of the season and the opponent is Connor McDavid’s team.
Celebrini, who has been considered day-to-day all week with a lower-body injury, said Friday that he is a game-time decision for Saturday’s game. He practiced for 30 minutes with the Sharks and described himself as feeling pretty good, while also making it clear that the final call will come after weighing how his body responds and what the trainers and doctors think.
He has already missed two games, including Monday’s late scratch against the Dallas Stars, a 5-0 loss for San Jose. He then missed practice on Tuesday and Wednesday before joining the Sharks’ morning skate in St. Louis on Thursday, when San Jose beat the St. Louis Blues 3-2 in overtime. The fact that he has not needed to go on injured reserve is at least a sign that this has been managed carefully rather than treated as a longer absence.
Why his status matters
This is not just about one player returning from injury. It is about what Celebrini means to a young team trying to find some structure in the opening week. San Jose has 79 more games to sort out the bigger picture, but games like this can still shape the tone. Against Edmonton, the Sharks are not just dealing with a star-studded opponent; they are also trying to see how their own best pieces fit when the pace gets higher and the mistakes get punished faster.
Celebrini made the decision sound practical rather than dramatic. He said that if he was not going to be at his best, or close to it, there was no point in playing. He also said he wanted to be out there and that it “killed” him not to, but that the smart move was to listen to the medical staff and make the call collectively. That is the kind of cautious approach teams usually prefer in October, especially when a player has already missed time but the season is still just getting started.
The bigger question now is simple: will he go against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers? The answer is not public yet, and that is exactly why Saturday’s pregame window matters. If Celebrini plays, the Sharks get one of their top centers back for an early Pacific Division clash. If he does not, San Jose will again have to manage a major part of its attack without him.
Either way, the story is bigger than one game. Celebrini has already shown that he understands the line between eagerness and judgment, and that balance can matter just as much as raw availability. For the Sharks, the hope is obvious: get him back soon, keep him healthy, and make sure this early stretch does not become more complicated than it already is.
