Is Macklin Celebrini overrated? NHL analyst delivers hot take on projected 2024 first-overall pick

In a recent video shared by Greg Wyshynski on X, ESPN analyst Rachel Doerrie tackled the pressing question: Is Macklin Celebrini overrated?

Doerrie's response offers a nuanced perspective on the highly anticipated prospect, who is poised to be the first overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

"I actually think there's part of his game that gets underrated because of who was in the draft last year. That's the generational talent to be clear. Like Connor Bedard is the generational talent.

"Every so often, they come along. And so when you look at it, Crosby was the generational talent, Ovechkin, the generational score. McDavid, generational talent, Matthews, generational score."

Doerrie set the stage by acknowledging the rarity of generational talents in the NHL, citing names like Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews.

She positioned Connor Bedard as the standout talent in the current draft class, emphasizing his potential to redefine the game:

"I look at this and I say, Bedard is the generational talent of the next wave. But there's no reason that when we're talking first overall pick, he's not in the Bedard, McDavid Matthews tier. But I think he's absolutely in and around the MacKinnon tier."

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Macklin Celebrini: Rising NHL draft prospect with elite skill set

However, Doerrie doesn't discount Macklin Celebrini's abilities, placing him in the elite company of players like Nathan MacKinnon.

She said that Celebrini deserves recognition among the top picks in the draft, albeit perhaps not on the same level as Bedard:

"And I think he has a chance to do some real damage, he is a dynamic player with an immediate impact.

"I would be surprised if he didn't come in and have a similar impact to Bedard this year. Hopefully, he's on a little bit of a better team and he's carrying around 40-year-old line mates."

Doerrie expresses confidence in Celebrini's potential to make an immediate impact in the NHL, envisioning him as a dynamic force on the ice. She reckons Macklin Celebrini could mirror Bedard's impact in his rookie year if he finds himself in a favorable team environment.

"But there's not a thing this guy can't do. He skates incredibly well. His vision is hilariously good.

"And the difference between him and pretty much every adult he's playing at the college level is he sees plays, but actually has the capability to execute on them. And that is going to be huge at the NHL level."

Doerrie concludes by praising Macklin Celebrini's versatile skill set, highlighting his exceptional skating ability.