Celebrini, defenseman prospect, grew up around Canucks, NHL dressing room

VANCOUVER -- Aiden Celebrini would have been excused for not getting overly excited by the presence of Hall of Fame forwards Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin, as well as other former Vancouver Canucks players, on and off the ice at Canucks development camp last month.

The 18-year-old defenseman prospect, after all, grew accustomed to being around the Sedins and other players at Rogers Arena when his father, Dr. Rick Celebrini, worked with Vancouver from 2014-18 before leaving to become the director of sports medicine and performance for the NBA's Golden State Warriors.

The younger Celebrini grew up watching NBA stars like Steve Nash work with his dad, but that familiarity in no way dimmed his first sessions on the ice, with the Sedins coaching as part of their roles in player development, since he was selected by the Canucks in the sixth round (No. 171) of the 2023 NHL Draft.

"Looking up to them as legends, going to the rink, seeing their faces and being wide-eyed as a young kid exposed to that, it didn't take away the shine of it all now," Celebrini said. "Being out here with them, all grown up, it brings me back to being that kid who idolized them, and it's amazing to have them here really helping me develop and achieve my dreams now."

If anything, growing up around the Vancouver players with his dad and younger brother Macklin Celebrini, a freshman forward at Boston University and early favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, added to the experience.

"I grew up at Rogers Arena watching the pros skate and skating on Rogers Arena, pretending I was a pro or I was the latest draft pick," Celebrini said. "For it to be a reality, it's surreal."

Celebrini had 21 points (five goals, 16 assists) in 47 games as a rookie with Brooks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League last season. He was named to Team Canada West at the 2022 World Junior A Challenge, then added three assists in 15 AJHL playoff games, and one assist in six games at the Centennial Cup to help Brooks win the national championship.

Next up in the fall is Boston University, where Celebrini will be joined by brother Macklin and fellow right-shot defenseman Tom Willander, chosen by the Canucks with the No. 11 pick in the 2023 draft. A solid skater with a physical style at 6-foot-1, 187 pounds, Vancouver wants Aiden Celebrini to continue working on his offensive game at the college level.

"To win the Centennial Cup, I needed to adopt that defensive role, but I'm really looking to become that two-way guy and really develop my offense," he said.

Mike Komisarek, who joined the Canucks player development staff in 2022 after 11 seasons as an NHL defenseman, praised Celebrini's commitment, maturity and eagerness to learn at development camp.

"Character and passion," Komisarek said. "You see a kid like that, constantly have a smile on his face, every interaction excited to see you. Some prospects kind of shy away and you're almost pursuing them trying to build that relationship, build that trust, so you do have their ear. If it's not a two-way street, if you're constantly having to feed them nuggets, it's never going to work."

Chris Higgins, Vancouver's assistant director of player development, stressed the importance of elite conditioning to all prospects. That's is not likely to be a concern with Celebrini, whose exposure to world-class athletes and the work they put in isn't limited to ex-Canucks.

"I think about all the times Steve Nash and I would have these three- to four-hour workouts and the kids would be playing hockey or soccer in the gym while we worked on the other side," Rick Celebrini said of his work with Nash, a two-time NBA MVP. "They're taking it in, looking at, 'OK, this guy is one of the best there is in his sport, but it doesn't come without a ridiculous amount of hard work, commitment and discipline.' It's a window into what it takes to get to that level."

Knowing the oldest of his four children -- daughter Charlie, 14, is currently in Belgium with Tennis Canada and 10-year-old R.J. is playing elite-level travel hockey in California -- will take those next steps with the Canucks has made the first NHL Draft experience as a family even more special for the elder Celebrini.

"Honestly, when I saw the Canucks logo beside his name, I just kind of shook my head," Rick Celebrini said. "To get drafted in the NHL is a dream come true for these kids and it's a moment in time that sort of really just acknowledges all the hard work they did to get there, but to have it happen in his hometown is just kind of icing on the cake.

"It couldn't have been scripted any better."

Photos courtesy: Vancouver Canucks