Sharks Recall Jack Thompson, Place Macklin Celebrini On IR

 

Sharks center Macklin Celebrini will have to wait a week for his second NHL appearance despite making a great debut. He was placed on injured reserve, the organization announced today (Twitter link); defenseman Jack Thompson was called up from AHL San Jose to take his place.

Celebrini, who was selected first overall in the June draft, chose to forgo his remaining collegiate eligibility and enter the professional ranks after considering his options for the upcoming season. He only played in two of the six preseason games, but that didn't stop him from enjoying a fantastic debut in which he scored two points.

His chronic lower-body ailment during training camp contributed to his lack of playing time during the preseason season. Now, he's got a lower-body issue again, which may be connected to what he was going through recently. Given how early in the season it makes sense to give Celebrini a break now rather than letting him play with a compromised health condition in an effort to eradicate the issue entirely.

Regarding Thompson, he was acquired by the Sharks at the trade deadline from Tampa Bay, and he is currently in the final year of his entry-level contract. This is his first full season with the team. Between the two teams last season, he saw action in three NHL games and recorded 41 points in 62 AHL games.

Though it may seem odd that a defenseman was called up to take the place of a forward, San Jose had just six healthy blueliners on their active roster due to injuries to Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Shakir Mukhamadullin. Now that they have 14 available forwards on their roster, Thompson will provide them with some backup insurance.