- Quentin Musty on Macklin Celebrini: “He’s a generational player”
- Filip Bystedt led the Barracuda with 60 points in 65 games last season
- Read below for what Barracuda coach John McCarthy wants from both forwards at camp
Quentin Musty has shared the ice with Macklin Celebrini a few times now, and he still talks about him like a fan in the stands.
The San Jose Sharks prospect was asked about the 20-year-old center at the NHLPA Rookie Showcase in Chicago on July 29.
“I mean, you skate with those guys for the first time, and we’ve been lucky enough to skate with him a couple of times now, he’s a generational player. Nothing much more to say than that. He’s a special player,” Musty said, per Tracey Myers of NHL.com. “Obviously he’s gifted a lot of things you wish you had in your game. It’s fun to watch and try to learn from him and the things he does.”
Celebrini gave everyone plenty to watch last season. The 2024 first overall pick put up 115 points (45 goals, 70 assists) and finished fourth in the NHL, behind only Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon.
Musty and Filip Bystedt want the next seats at that table, and both gave San Jose a reason to think about it last season with San Jose Barracuda of the AHL.
Bystedt, the 27th pick in 2022, led the Barracuda with 60 points (22 goals, 38 assists) in 65 games in his second full year in North America. Musty went 26th a year later and posted 45 points (21 goals, 24 assists) in 61 games as a rookie, tying for fourth among AHL rookies in goals.
Barracuda coach John McCarthy said both played in the top six and handled real minutes. He was also clear about what each one still has to sort out.
“Musty’s similar. It’s rounding out his game. Obviously the offensive talent is there,” McCarthy said. “Coming from junior, where he was relied upon to create offense pretty much exclusively, it’s about working on the other side of game. He’s taken strides already and will continue to do so and put himself in a good spot to fight for a roster spot.”
For Bystedt, McCarthy pointed to the adjustment from Sweden’s wider ice, where pressure arrives a beat later than it does in the AHL.
San Jose went 39-35-8 for 86 points last season and finished four back of the Los Angeles Kings for the second wild card in the West. The Sharks have not played a playoff game since 2018-19.
Michael Misa said last month that this group is going to take another step, and the two forwards in the AHL want to be part of the reason why.
Camp is the part Bystedt has been counting down to all summer.
“I’m excited. I’ve been waiting for it the whole summer,” Bystedt said. “I think it’s going to be a huge camp for me. I’ve been training hard, trying to prepare myself for the best and it’s going to be fun to see the guys as well and compete for a roster spot.”
Musty walks into his fourth training camp, Bystedt his third. Both want to make the Sharks’ opening-night decision an uncomfortable one.
