San Jose Sharks vs Chicago Blackhawks Picks and Predictions March 13th 2025

Bedard vs. Celebrini: No. 1 Picks Collide as Blackhawks Face Sharks

Hockey fans will finally get to see a highly anticipated showdown between the past two first-overall NHL Draft picks when Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks visit Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.

Although the teams have already met twice this season, Celebrini missed both games due to a lower-body injury sustained in his season opener. Now fully healthy, the 18-year-old rookie is proving why he was taken first overall in 2024, leading San Jose alongside William Eklund with 48 points (20 goals, 28 assists) in 54 games.

For Chicago, Bedard continues to shine in his sophomore season, leading the team with 52 points (17 goals, 35 assists) in 65 games. While both franchises remain in rebuilding mode, this matchup offers a glimpse into the future of the NHL, with two elite young centers battling for years to come.

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Bedard and Celebrini Leading Rebuilding Franchises

The Blackhawks and Sharks have had tough seasons, currently sitting as the bottom two teams in the NHL standings:

• Chicago: 49 points
• San Jose: 43 points

Despite the struggles, both teams remain optimistic about their young stars leading the way.

• Bedard’s sophomore season: He has slightly outpaced Celebrini in points per game (0.90 vs. 0.89 in his rookie year), proving his Calder Trophy-winning season was no fluke.
• Celebrini’s rookie impact: Since returning from injury, he has been San Jose’s most dynamic offensive player, tied for the team lead in points.

Both players will be franchise cornerstones for years to come, and this game marks the first of many future battles.

Blackhawks and Sharks Looking to End Losing Streaks

Both teams enter the game looking to bounce back:

• Chicago: Had a five-game points streak (3-0-2) before a 3-0 shutout loss to Colorado on Monday.
• San Jose: Currently on a three-game losing streak, falling 3-2 to Nashville despite outshooting the Predators 27-19.

Chicago’s captain Nick Foligno believes the team is headed in the right direction, despite the shutout loss.

“It felt like one of our better games in a while,” Foligno said. “We were dialed in. We dominated some aspects of the game. We’ve got to be proud of the way we’re playing.”

Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky, however, pointed to penalty-kill struggles as a major issue. San Jose has killed just 13 of 24 penalties over its last six games, something that could be problematic against Chicago’s seventh-ranked power play (25 percent conversion rate).

Ice-Cold Profits Await

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Projected Lineups and Goaltending Matchups

Blackhawks

• Injury watch: Defenseman Alec Martinez is day-to-day after leaving Monday’s game.
• Starting goalie: Arvid Soderblom is expected to start, alternating duties with Spencer Knight over the last six games.

Sharks

• Goaltending situation: With Yaroslav Askarov injured and Vitek Vanecek traded, Alexandar Georgiev has started the last five games. However, backup Georgi Romanov could see his first start of the season.
• Hot streak: Rookie forward Will Smith has five points (two goals, three assists) in his last four games.

Final Thoughts: A Must-Watch Matchup of Future NHL Stars

This game might not have playoff implications, but it offers fans a first glimpse of two of the NHL’s most exciting young players going head-to-head.

Can Connor Bedard lead Chicago to a win and build on his strong season? Or will Macklin Celebrini take charge for San Jose in his long-awaited showdown with Bedard?

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