Macklin Celebrini has confirmed that his brother, Aiden Celebrini, will not be signing with the Vancouver Canucks just yet.
Canucks fans eager to see one of the Celebrini brothers join their team will have to wait at least another year. According to Macklin, Aiden will return to Boston University for another season in the NCAA before pursuing his professional aspirations. Macklin shared this update with Max Miller of Sharks Hockey Digest.
Aiden Celebrini, 20, still has time to develop before making the jump to the NHL. Selected 171st overall by the Canucks in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft, Aiden was drafted as an overager and hasn’t been as highly touted as his younger brother, Macklin. However, he has shown steady progress and remains on a positive developmental trajectory.
Statistically, Aiden’s numbers don’t stand out. The 6-foot-1 defenseman has recorded just two goals, 11 assists, and 13 points in 63 career games for Boston. He has also logged more than 15 minutes of ice time in only four games this season, indicating that while his growth is encouraging, there is still work to be done.
“He’s developed really well,” Macklin said of Aiden. “He’s a defensive defenseman, a lockdown guy, and he’s good at what he does.”
Macklin also expressed his hope that Aiden will eventually play alongside Canucks captain Quinn Hughes, calling that possibility “cool.”
Aiden’s future with the Canucks
When Aiden eventually signs with Vancouver, he will join a promising group of defense prospects that includes Elias Pettersson, Victor Mancini, Cole McWard, Sawyer Mynio, Tom Willander, and Kirill Kudryavtsev.
With this growing pool of young talent, the future looks bright for the Canucks’ blue line, and the team would certainly welcome Aiden Celebrini as part of that mix when the time comes.
