Connor Bedard vs Macklin Celebrini: Stats in 2024-25, faceoff success, and other key numbers you need to know

The Connor Bedard vs Macklin Celebrini debates have hit a new high as the Chicago Blackhawks meet the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center. The discussion has caught fire as fans around the league look to determine who has the better numbers this season.

So, it’s worth weighing in on the Bedard vs Celebrini debate to determine how the presumptive 2025 Calder Trophy Winner stacks up against the 2024 recipient.

Connor Bedard vs Macklin Celebrini: Looking at the stats in 2024-25

Total points

Let’s begin the Connor Bedard vs Macklin Celebrini discussion with the most evident numbers. In his sophomore season, Connor Bedard has put up 17 goals and 35 assists for 52 points in 65 games. Bedard is on pace to eclipse his 61 points as a rookie from last season.

Meanwhile, Macklin Celebrini has notched 20 goals and 28 assists for 48 points in 54 games as part of his rookie campaign. That total places Celebrini three points behind Montreal Canadiens blue liner Lane Hutson in the rookie scoring race.

Plus-minus

One number that stands out is Bedard and Celebrini’s plus-minus totals. Bedard currently has a minus-31 rating compared to Celebrini’s minus-26. Of course, it’s worth pointing out that both Bedard and Celebrini play for the two bottom teams in the league. The Blackhawks are 30th in the league in goals against with a minus-49 goal differential.

As for Celebrini and the Sharks, they are dead last in the league with 248 goals against and a minus-75 goal differential. Nevertheless, Celebrini’s minus-26, comparatively speaking, shows a better defensive performance. Celebrini has been playing all season with William Eklund and Tyler Toffoli, none of whom stand out as defensive specialists.

Shooting percentage

Another key aspect of the Connor Bedard vs Macklin Celebrini conversation is shooting percentage. Bedard has been consistent in his two seasons. Last year, he registered a 10.7 shooting percentage, with this season notching a 10.8 clip. Celebrini has an eerily similar shooting percentage of 10.6.

Face-off percentage

However, there is a stark contrast in face-off percentage. Macklin Celebrini has a respectable 48.1 face-off percentage compared to Connor Bedard’s 37.1 this season. Bedard’s total is down from last season, as he registered a 38.9% face-off rate.

Ice time per game

Lastly, Bedard has averaged over 20 minutes of ice time this season at 20:23. Those are healthy top-line minutes, though the Blackhawks may not feel overly confident in deploying Bedard for longer stretches late in the game, particularly when the Blackhawks are down.

Celebrini has averaged under 20 minutes per game this season at 19:46. That number is consistent with Bedard’s rookie year, where he averaged 19:47 minutes per contest.

Overall, the Connor Bedard vs Macklin Celebrini discussion shows that Celebrini’s rookie season is virtually the same as Bedard’s. Celebrini should have the inside track on the Calder Trophy if he can overtake Lane Hutson for the rookie scoring lead. As a result, fans could see the 2023 and 2024 number-one overall picks take home the Calder in back-to-back seasons.