Macklin Celebrini isn't like most first-overall picks – he's better.

Stepping into Connor Bedard's shadow may have dulled that shine, but placed in virtually any other context, his potential is blinding.

Just look at his résumé. Celebrini has been playing up in age for almost as long as we've been tracking his career at Elite Prospects.

At only 15-years-old, the Vancouver-born centre led Shattuck St. Mary's U18 prep squad in scoring, seven clear of his next-most prolific teammate with three games in hand. Next season, he led the entire USHL in scoring while playing for the Chicago Steel in his draft-minus-one campaign.

For an encore, Celebrini went to Boston Univ. as a 17-year-old and helped elevate them to the No. 2 spot in the country, a Frozen Four semifinal berth, and picked up a Hobey Baker Award as the nation's most outstanding player for the trouble – the youngest to ever do it.

He's yet to face a challenge quite like the one that awaits him with the San Jose Sharks, but everything Celebrini's done to this point in his career indicates he's up to the task.

Yet for how overwhelmingly impressive his résumé may be (very!), it's the “how” more than the “what” that informs our confidence in this player. You'll probably feel the same way by the end of this article.