Asked what he learned about Celebrini during that tournament and whether the No. 1 pick from the 2024 NHL Draft had the type of maturity to be seriously considered for an Olympic roster spot, Crosby offered some high praise.
“He’s a guy that has a real passion for it,” Crosby said. “He works probably as hard as anybody and, probably, with his age, I think fast tracking the learning curve for him. So, you could see right from last year how he got better as the season went on.
“At Worlds, it was pretty clear to see [him] almost taking another step there. This year, with the way he’s starting, seems to be the same, so I think he’s definitely somebody that’s earned a lot of attention for good reason. And, you know, we’ll see.
“But he’s definitely playing some great hockey now.”
Joe Thornton couldn’t agree more.
Few people know Celebrini better than the larger-than-life figure known as “Jumbo Joe,” who will officially be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday. That’s because Thornton, aside from being an influential mentor for Celebrini, is also his landlord, having welcomed him to live in his San Jose-area home for a second consecutive year.
As such, Thornton understands the burning desire the understated Celebrini has to represent Canada in three months.
“I hope he gets the chance, because I know how much he wants to be on that team,” Thornton told NHL.com during the Hall of Fame ring ceremony Saturday. “I know what it meant to me to be on the Olympic team in 2010 in Vancouver when we won gold. It’s just so special, so exciting.
“It’s not easy for the people picking the team; there are so many quality players to choose from. But he’s playing so well, he’s motivated and he wants it. He’s strong, he plays a 200-foot game. I’ve said it before, but he’s honestly pretty much got everything.”
