Sharks-Blackhawks superstar matchup on hold, but could be special for years to come

SAN JOSE – NHL fans will be denied the opportunity to see one likely generational player face another on Thursday night when the San Jose Sharks play the host Chicago Blackhawks.

While Connor Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, is humming along in his second year in Chicago after being voted as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year last season, Macklin Celebrini, a potentially franchise-altering centerman taken first overall by the Sharks in June, is on injured reserve with a lower-body ailment.