Sharks win NHL draft lottery, hint at selecting top prospect Celebrini with No. 1 pick

Mike Grier was so elated over winning the NHL draft lottery on Tuesday night, the San Jose Sharks general manager dispensed with tradition by coming out and stating exactly who he expects to select with the No. 1 pick: Boston University centre Macklin Celebrini.

Where past GMs in Grier’s position have kept their choice under wraps until they step to the podium on draft day, Macklin’s abilities and ties to San Jose were too much to keep it a secret for a Sharks team looking ahead to a brighter future.

“I think so, yeah,” Grier said when asked if he anticipates using the top pick on the 17-year-old forward, college hockey’s youngest Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner and NHL Scouting Bureau’s top-ranked prospect. “It’s a big moment for the organization and the fans here to have the opportunity to draft someone like Macklin.”

Grier then went so far as to envision where Celebrini will fit into his lineup to complement the Sharks veteran centres of Logan Couture and Mikael Granlund.

Suddenly, the sting of finishing last in the overall standings, a yearlong rebuilding process that led to San Jose trading aging stars such as Tomas Hertl, Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns and firing coach David Quinn, has been replaced by a buoyant sense of hope.

Though from North Vancouver, B.C., Celebrini is no stranger to the Bay Area or Grier, who also played at Boston University.

Celebrini’s father, Rick Celebrini, is currently vice president of player health and performance for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, and the youngster spent a year playing for the Sharks’ junior team.

“Obviously, they’re a great organization. If I’m fortunate enough to get drafted there, I’d be very lucky,” the younger Celebrini said.

With an 18.5 per cent chance to win the lottery and a 25.5 per cent chance to pick first, the Sharks became the third last-place team in the past four drawings to win the lottery, and 11th overall since the system was put into place in 1995.

The lottery proved anti-climactic with no changes to the draft order for the first time since 2010.

Chicago, who…