Macklin Celebrini selected No. 1 by San Jose at NHL draft where Las Vegas and hockey royalty mix

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Macklin Celebrini headlined the NHL draft by going first overall to the San Jose Sharks on a Friday night hockey and Las Vegas royalty mixed company under the visual spectacle of the Sphere.

French-Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion and longtime boxing announcer Michael Buffer shared the stage with the likes of former Sharks star Joe Thornton and rookie of the year Connor Bedard by announcing the selections to provide the event a true Vegas flair.

When it came to Thornton announcing the selection of Celebrini, Sharks general manager Mike Grier said it was important to connect his franchise's future with its successful past.

“We don't have too many guys left on the team that were there when we were on top of things and challenging for the Stanley Cup,” Grier said.

As for Dion's appearance, Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson was so excited he took a picture of the pop icon and sent it to his mother.

And to top it off, the newly established Utah Hockey Club leaned on NHL pedigree in making Kelowna center Tij Iginla the franchise’s first selection with the No. 6 pick. Iginla is the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, who spent much of his career in Calgary.

Celebrini becomes a foundational piece for the Sharks and his selection came as no surprise after the 18-year-old became just the fourth freshman to win the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player. He did so as the nation’s youngest player, too, finishing second with 34 goals and third with 64 points in 38 games.

The 6-foot, 200-pound player from North Vancouver, British Columbia, already has ties to the Bay Area. Celebrini played for the Junior Sharks program after his father, Rick, was hired to be the Golden State Warriors’ sports medicine director.

“Just a surreal feeling,” Celebrini said in becoming the Sharks’ first No. 1 overall pick. “I’ve dreamed about this moment ever since I was a kid, and for it to come true, it’s just an amazing feeling.”

Celebrini was undecided on whether he will return to BU for a second year, but he deepens a talented prospect pool on a Sharks team in the midst of its longest playoff drought, now spanning five years.

Chicago took Michigan State defenseman Artyom Levshunov of Belarus at No. 2., with his name announced by Bedard, the No. 1 pick last year. This marked the third draft to have college players to go 1-2, and first since 2021 when Michigan teammates Owen Power and Matty Beniers were chosen first and second.

Levshunov was the fourth overall player from Belarus selected in the first round of the NHL draft, and earliest selected after defenseman Ruslan Salei went ninth to Anaheim in 1996.

The draft was filled with surprise guests, with Dion taking the podium to announce her hometown Montreal Canadiens selecting Russian forward Ivan Demidov at No. 5. Buffer, who is from Philadelphia, used his “Are you ready to rumble” tag-line in taking the stage to announce the Flyers choosing Ontario Hockey League center Jett Luchanko at No. 13.

And there were several surprise picks, the biggest involving the Anaheim Ducks’ selection of Oshawa forward Beckett Sennecke at No. 3.

Sennecke could be seen mouthing “Oh, my God,” to his father upon hearing former Ducks star Scott Niedermayer announce the pick. Sennecke was ranked 12th among North American players by NHL Central Scouting after finishing with 27 goals and 68 points in 63 games last season in the OHL.

GM Pat Verbeek didn't see the player's reaction, noting the Ducks only interviewed Sennecke once in the pre-draft process despite having their eye on him for much of last year.

“He had no idea," Verbeek said. “It certainly brings back really good memories to see an authentic reaction like that.”

Columbus followed by selecting Medicine Hat center Cayden Lindstrom at No. 4.

Utah, which relocated from Arizona to Salt Lake City, two months ago selected Iginla, ending any chance of Calgary landing the son of their former star at No. 9.

“It’s so unpredictable,” said Jarome Iginla who was selected 11th overall by Dallas in the 1995 draft before being traded months later to Calgary. “Every city’s a great city, but Utah, we’re excited. ... We’re very happy for him. He’s worked hard, and it’s a big day.”

The Iginla’s become the sixth father-son duo taken in the top 15 of the draft.

Canadians dominated the first-round selections, with 19 drafted, tied for the most since a record 21 went in 1987. Only three Americans were drafted, starting with University of Denver defenseman Zeev Buium going 12th to Minnesota. Buium is from San Diego.

The draft featured the added spectacle of being held at the year-old Sphere, a globe-shaped venue over-looking the Las Vegas strip and featuring video screens on the inside and outside of its structure.

The 32 teams were gathered at tables beneath the wrap-around screen covering almost three-quarters of the curved wall broadcasting scenes from the draft to the sold-out crowd of 14,220 in the multi-deck facility. The draft opened with the screen featuring pictures of more than 100 of the eligible prospects.

A small stage was erected in the middle of the floor, where NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman was joined by teams to announce the selections.

There remained familiar draft moments, beyond the glitz, glamor and 100-degree temperature outside.

Bettman was booed upon taking the podium. Vegas fans also booed when Pacific Division rivals took the stage, and cheered when it was the Golden Knights’ turn to select center Trevor Connelly at No. 19.

Connelly, ranked sixth by Central Scouting among North American prospects, had his stock fall due to questions involving his past. Two years ago, he poste a picture on social media of a friend posing in front of a collection of building blocks formed in the shape of a swastika. Connelly apologized and done his best through volunteer work and diversity training.

With trade-talk buzz circulating around the likes of Toronto’s Mitch Marner, Columbus’ Patrik Laine and Carolina’s Martin Necas, the only deals completed on the floor involved draft selections.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

An image of the Sphere is displayed during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman speaks during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

Artyom Levshunov, left, second overall pick of the Chicago Blackhawks; Macklin Celebrini, center, first overall pick of the San Jose Sharks; and Beckett Sennecke, third overall pick of the Anaheim Ducks, pose during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

A screen is seen before the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, at the Sphere in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

Cayden Lindstrom, center, poses after being selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

Beckett Sennecke, center left, poses after being selected by the Anaheim Ducks during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

Artyom Levshunov, center, puts on a jersey after being selected by the Chicago Blackhawks during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

Artyom Levshunov, center, poses after being selected by the Chicago Blackhawks during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

Ring announcer Michael Buffer helps announce the selection of Jett Luchanko by the Philadelphia Flyers during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, left, welcomes singer Celine Dion onto the stage during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. Dion helped announce the selection of Ivan Demidov by the Montreal Canadiens. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

Ivan Demidov, center, poses, after being selected by the Montreal Canadiens during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. The announcement was made by singer Celine Dion, right. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

Macklin Celebrini, second from left, poses after being selected by San Jose Sharks during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

Macklin Celebrini arrives for hockey's NHL Awards, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia on Monday imposed new restrictions on the sale of hemp products, required some basic standards for rented residences, cut income taxes and required cash bail for dozens of new crimes.

Those are among many laws passed earlier this year by the General Assembly that took effect on July 1.

Part of the bail law, which limits the ability of individuals and charitable groups to post bail for others, was put on hold Friday by a federal judge after a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality was filed.

Another law that would require online sites to gather data on high-volume sellers who collect payment in cash or some other offline method also has been challenged with a lawsuit, but a federal judge didn't immediately block it following a Friday hearing.

Other laws took effect when Gov. Brian Kemp signed them, including a measure signed May 1 that compels jailers to check the immigration status of inmates. That already has been law in Georgia but Republican supporters say some jailers are flouting their obligations.

The immigration law was passed after the killing of a nursing student Laken Riley on the University of Georgia campus. Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan man, has pleaded not guilty to murder and kidnapping charges in Riley's death.

Here's a look at some of the Georgia's new laws:

An already-planned state income tax cut is being accelerated under House Bill 1015, giving the state a flat 5.39% income tax rate retroactive to Jan. 1. As of that date, Georgia gained a flat income tax rate of 5.49%, passed under a 2022 law that transitioned away from a series of income brackets that topped out at 5.75%.

The income tax rate is supposed to drop 0.1% a year until reaching 4.99% if state revenues hold up. The state will forgo an estimated $300 million by dropping the rate from 5.49% to 5.39%. That’s on top of the $800 million the state is projected to forgo as part of the earlier tax cut.

A separate law will drop the corporate income tax rate from 5.75% to 5.39%. Under the bill, the corporate income tax rate would keep falling along with the personal income tax rate until reaching 4.99%. The corporate income tax cut would cost $176 million in its first full year.

Retailers can only sell hemp products such as CBD to people 21 and older under Senate Bill 494. Manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers must buy permits from the state Department of Agriculture. Products can only be sold if they have been tested, with state agriculture officials also regulating testing labs.

Hemp products must include results of testing and a warning sticker if they contain THC, the substance in marijuana that produces a high. Officials have said products they tested in the past had illegally high levels of delta-9 THC and said labels didn’t accurately reflect a product’s ingredients.

The measure bans the sale of hemp products within 500 feet (152 meters) of a K-12 school and bans hemp products that look like existing snacks or candy, trying to make them less attractive to children. That could ban hemp-infused brownies, cookies and candy, but experts say gummies and hemp-infused beverages are still legal.

The measure limits how much delta-9 THC a product can contain, aiming to also eliminate the sale of products with chemicals that can be turned into THC. Other CBD substances such as Delta-8-THC and Delta-10-THC remain legal in Georgia.

Landlords in Georgia would be legally required for the first time to maintain rental properties in a state that is fit for human habitation under House Bill 404. The bill also adds air conditioning as a utility that can't be shut off before an eviction notice is filed, along with the existing requirements to provide heat, light and water.

The law requires a landlord to give a tenant three days' written notice before starting eviction proceedings when a tenant doesn't pay rent or some other required fee, while also requiring that an eviction notice be posted “conspicuously” on the door of rental property.

The measure limits security deposits to two months' rent.

Cash bail would be required for 30 additional crimes, including some misdemeanors, under Senate Bill 63.

The measure erodes changes in 2018 allowing judges to release most people accused of misdemeanors without bail. Proponents argue people who leave jail without paying bail are less likely to show up for court, although national studies contradict that claim.

Judges would still have the discretion to set very low bails, but opponents say that’s unlikely. They warn the move could strand poor defendants in jail even when they're accused of crimes for which they are unlikely to ever go to prison.

A federal judge on Friday put on hold for at least 14 days part of the law that would limit charitable bail funds or individuals from bailing out of jail more than three people in a year. Only those who meet legal requirements to be bail bond companies could do so.

Opponents sued on June 21, alleging that part of the law is unconstitutional.

FILE - Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announces a plan for a further cut to Georgia's state income tax rate, Dec. 4, 2023, at the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta. That plan, which is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2024, will take effect on Monday, July 1. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy, File)