GOTHENBURG, Sweden -- Of all the NHL prospects to watch at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, and there are many, few will garner the attention that Macklin Celebrini will. The top prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft is Team Canada's youngest player, but also one of its biggest overall talents despite his youth.

• NHL Draft Prospects To Watch At The World Juniors
• Macklin Celebrini USHL Highlight Reel
• FloHockey's 2024 NHL Draft Hub
• FloHockey's 2024 World Juniors Content Hub

Throughout the tournament, FloHockey will be detailing Celebrini's performance through each game with his detailed stat lines and game-by-game assessments from veteran NHL Draft analyst Chris Peters, who has been documenting Celebrini's career since his breakout rookie campaign in the USHL with the Chicago Steel in 2022-23.

Check back to this page regularly for updates after each Canada game for full analysis of the top 2024 NHL Draft prospect's performance as well as an overall tournament assessment after Canada's final game.

Macklin Celebrini Preliminary Round Stats

4 GP, 4 Goals, 4 Assists, 8 Points, 0 PIM, 17 SOG, 15:44 AVG TOI

Game 4: Canada vs. Germany

Final Score: Canada 6, Germany 3

Macklin Celebrini Stat Line

Goals: 2
Assists: 0
Points: 2
PIM: 0
Shots on Goal: 8
Faceoffs: 8W, 8L
Shifts: 22
Time on Ice: 19:27

Analysis

For the second time in his World Juniors, Macklin Celebrini was named Team Canada's player of the game and it wasn't really close. In a game Canada did not play well against an inferior opponent, their 17-year-old star came up huge with Canada's first goal and the goal that put the game out of reach, even as tensions were still high. 

Celebrini's first goal showed off his violent release, which stunned the goalie and calmed things down for a Canadian team that had just fallen behind 1-0.

*ahem*
MACKLIN CELEBRINI

That's it. That's the post. pic.twitter.com/Oy0RyHk83b

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) December 31, 2023

On his second goal, Celebrini outraced the goalie to a loose puck and found a way to slip a shot inside the right post from a difficult angle. That made it 5-3 and allowed the Canadian bench to breathe easy for the first time of the night.

🪄 Magic Macklin.

Celebrini really just scored from that angle🥴 pic.twitter.com/mqngYVDzbv

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) December 31, 2023

Celebrini's game was a bit of a weird one in that Canada was killing a major penalty 11 seconds into the contest. He doesn't kill penalties, so he was on the bench. He made his first shift matter, though, with that first goal as Canada desperately needed a response. 

In the end, Celebrini was finally among Team Canada's leading forwards in ice time with 19:27 as the coaching staff leaned on him more like the star that he is. He remains this team's best player and in a medal round that will have its share of difficulty, he will be relied on even more heavily.

Celebrini's speed, skill, compete level and finish have looked world class throughout the tournament, but it really showed up in a game where Canada probably shouldn't have needed it, but got it anyway.

Game 3: Canada vs. Sweden

Final Score: Canada 0, Sweden 2

Macklin Celebrini Stat Line

Goals: 0
Assists: 0
Points: 0
PIM: 0
Shots on Goal: 2
Faceoffs: 5W, 6L
Shifts: 18
Time on Ice: 16:38

Analysis

Canada failed to generate the kind of offense they'd been able to in previous games as Sweden generally shut them down with strong team defense and quality goaltending from Hugo Hävelid. However, we did get a glimpse of what Celebrini will mean to Canada in games that mattered most.

Celebrini surpassed his previous high in ice time by more than three minutes, earning 16:38 of ice time. He was a threat to create and made a good effort in the game. He also had a couple of looks on the power play late in the game. Perhaps most notably about Celebrini's game, Canada leaned on him more in the third period as he played 7:20 in the final frame. You'd have to think there has to be more ways for him to play more minutes than he's gotten so far in this tournament.

He's 17 years old, but is so clearly this team's best player, which says a lot considering that this is a talented group. Celebrini's going to be a critical piece down the stretch for Canada, but we won't likely see them get tested much again until the quarterfinal as they close out preliminary play against Germany.

Game 2: Canada vs. Latvia

Final Score: Canada 10, Latvia 0

Macklin Celebrini Stat Line

Goals: 1
Assists: 4
Points: 5
PIM: 0
Shots on Goal: 3
Faceoffs: 8W, 7L
Shifts: 20
Time On Ice: 13:34

Analysis

Celebrini was named Canada's player of the game, making the most of his 13:34 of ice time and dominating most of his shifts. He finished the game with five points, four of which were primary points. There were very few wasted puck touches by Celebrini, who showed off quick hands, high-end awareness and vision. 

Celebrini's first assist came off of a cleanly-won faceoff. His next one came after a high-skill play and finding Brayden Yager as the trailer with a solid pass. 

OK, Macklin! Celebrini dances through the neutral zone to set up Brayden Yager (PIT) to double Canada’s lead. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/k9dKnOcyW1

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) December 27, 2023

His goal showed his anticipation and ability to cut into space for a long stretch pass from Matthew Wood before providing the perfect finish on a short breakaway with a quick backhand. 

Though Celebrini has looked like Canada's best player, his ice time has been more managed. He's playing with a lot of skill around him and you'd have to think in bigger games he will see the ice more.

What was perhaps most alarming about Celebrini's five-point performance was how easily he could have had more points. There were a couple of power-play passes he made that gift-wrapped goals that went unfinished. The Canadian record for points in a single game at the World Juniors is seven and there were at least two instances where he could have gotten those needed points to match Connor Bedard, Dave Andreychuk and Gabriel Bourque, who each tallied seven in one game.

Regardless of the final result, Celebrini's efficiency in short ice time is remarkable. At both ends of the ice, he contributes in a positive way and will be the player other teams will have to find a way to slow down. 

Game 1: Canada vs. Finland

Final Score: Canada 5, Finland 2

Macklin Celebrini Stat Line

Goals: 1
Assists: 0
Points: 1
PIM: 0
Shots on Goal: 4
Faceoffs: 3W, 3L (50%)
Shifts: 15
Time on Ice: 13:19

Analysis

Celebrini did not get the ice time we were expecting him to in the first game. Starting on Canada's "fourth line" at least in terms of how it was listed, Celebrini's 13:19 was third most among Canada's centers. Despite more limited ice time than he is used to, Celebrini was effective in the time he had. He directed pucks to net and scored a gritty goal that gave Canada some breathing room in the third period in what turned out to be a tighter game than the final scoreline suggested.

Macklin Celebrini doing what Macklin Celebrini does, scoring in Canada's first game of the #WorldJuniors.
Hey, @ChicagoSteel and @TerrierHockey, does this feel familiar? pic.twitter.com/Cyn8HStnw5

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) December 26, 2023

Celebrini's goal was a good example of why he brings more value than just being incredibly skilled. He's able to get to the interior and make plays in the hard areas. We was surrounded by Finnish players, but still managed to get the shot away and forced the puck just over the goal line. Celebrini does not like making plays around the perimeter as so many skill players do. He wants to get to the middle and is constantly looking for ways to do it.

The only way you'd know Celebrini is 17 is because he's wearing a cage. Everything about his game is mature and poised. He doesn't shy away from contact and has seemed to add even a little more swagger to his game and his on-ice approach. The soft-spoken Celebrini is as fierce a competitor on the ice as you'll find and that was plainly evident in the game against Finland.

With Canada holding the lead late, Celebrini was on the ice but did get caught out for a longer shift and was on the ice for the goal against as Finland outworked a tired Canadian quintet to get within two goals with just over a minute to play, marking the only real blemish on an otherwise impressive game.

IIHF World Juniors 2024 Location

Group A games will take place at Scandinavium,Gothenburg, Sweden. Group B games will be at Frölundaborg in Gothenburg. 

Teams At The IIHF World Juniors

Here's who is playing at the World Juniors: 

Pool A:

• Canada
• Sweden 
• Finland
• Germany
• Latvia

Pool B: 

• Czechia 
• United States 
• Slovakia 
• Switzerland 
• Norway

World Juniors Hockey 2024 Schedule

Tuesday, Dec. 26

•  Slovakia 6, Czechia 2
• Canada 6, Finland 2
• USA 4, Norway 1
• Sweden 6, Latvia 0

Wednesday Dec. 27 

• SVK vs. SUI, Group B,  6 a.m. EST 
• FIN vs. GER, Group A, 8:30 a.m. EST
• NOR vs CZE, Group B, 11 a.m. EST
• LAT vs CANADA, Group A, 1:30 p.m. EST

Thursday, Dec. 28

• SUI vs. USA, Group B, 11 a.m. EST
• GER vs SWE, Group A, 11:30 p.m. EST

Friday, Dec. 29

• NOR vs. SVK, Group B, 6 a.m. EST
• LAT vs FIN, Group A, 8:30 a.m. EST
• CZE vs. USA, Group B, 11 a.m. EST
• CANADA vs. SWE, Group A, 1:30 p.m. EST

Saturday, Dec. 30

• SUI vs. NOR, Group B, 11 a.m. EST
• GER vs. LAT, Group A, 1:30 p.m. EST

Sunday, Dec. 31

• USA vs. SVK, Group B, 6 a.m. EST
• SWE vs. FIN, Group A, 8:30 a.m. EST
• CZE vs. SUI, Group B, 11 a.m. EST
• CANADA vs. Germany, Group A, 1:30 p.m. EST

2024 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships Quarterfinals 

The quarterfinals begin on Jan. 2, 2024 with four games starting at 6 a.m. EST and the final game scheduled for 1:30 p.m. 

2024 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships Semifinals

The semifinals begin on Jan. 4 with games starting at 6 a.m. EST and finishing at 1:30 p.m. 

2024 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships Finals

The Bronze Medal Game of the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships begins at 9 a.m. EST on Jan. 5. 

The Gold Medal Game is at 1:30 p.m. EST.  

World Juniors Stream In 2023- 2024

The World Juniors Championships will air the NHL Network in the U.S.. Some games will be available on ESPN+.

World Juniors Hockey On TSN In Canada

In Canada, the event will be televised on TSN and streamed on TSN+.

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