San Jose Sharks Draft Party Recap
Breaking Down the Draft Celebration at the SAP Center
The San Jose Sharks held a draft party at SAP Center for fans to take in and participate in celebrating the 2024 NHL Draft and the number one overall pick for the first time in the franchise’s history.
I wanted to be there to take in the moment for the organization that I grew up as a fan of and get a sense of where the fan base is and the anticipation of the future for the San Jose Sharks.
A momentous occasion was met with an overwhelming fan response to be at the SAP Center for the event. Sharks President Jonathan Becher tweeted that over 17,000 tickets were issued for the event on Friday afternoon.
Fans could participate in taking photos going through the Sharks entrance through the mouth and the Patrick Marleau 12 banner. SAP Center also had concessions and merchandise stores open for snacks and apparel.
As anticipated the San Jose Sharks selected Hobey Baker Award winner, Macklin Celebrini out of Boston University with the number one overall pick. The pomp and pageantry elevated when Sharks legend Joe Thornton was in Las Vegas to announce the selection. When the announcement happened the SAP Center exploded with a roar of exuberant joy.
Celebrini will wear his familiar #71, which fans are used to seeing him in. The sweater was displayed while SJ Sharkie was on stage, showcasing the new Sharks apparel which will be a hot ticket item.
On Thursday, the Sharks executed a deal with the Buffalo Sabres to secure the 11th pick in the draft. The trade involved the Sharks moving up three spots from 14th by packaging their 42nd pick. The fans were waiting in anticipation as many of the top defensemen were falling down the draft board and it was shaping up for one of them to land in the Sharks lap.
Pick 11 was finally announced, and the Sharks contingent in Vegas went to the podium and chose defenseman Sam Dickinson from the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.
Last season, Dickinson played in 68 games and scored 70 points (18 goals, 52 assists). In the playoffs, he played in 18 games and totaled 13 points (4 goals, 9 assists).
It was a great day for the franchise as they laid the foundation for the future by acquiring two of the top players in the NHL Draft. Towards the end of the event, I had the opportunity to chat with Dan Rusanowsky, a Hockey Hall of Famer and the play-by-play voice for the Sharks on the Sharks Audio Network, to discuss the event and the significant occasion for the franchise.
The tagline seen around the Bay Area is "The Future Is Teal." With the selections on Friday afternoon that simple slogan could turn into a rallying cry for this new generation of Sharks players and fans!
