On Thursday, the San Jose Sharks introduced the signing of ahead Collin Graf to an ordinary entry-level contract.
The contract prompts for the upcoming 2023-24 season, bolstering the staff roster with promising expertise.
School hockey numbers
As a sophomore within the 2022-23 season, Graf contributed to the Bobcats’ NCAA nationwide championship win.
Within the 2023-24 NCAA season, Graf performed 34 video games, logging 22 objectives and 27 assists for Quinnipiac College. The Jap School Athletic Convention league named the ahead Participant of the Yr for his previous season.
The 21-year-old Graf has scored 20 objectives in every of the final two seasons, averaging over some extent per recreation. In his remaining 75 NCAA video games, the previous free agent tallied 108 factors, averaging roughly 1.44 factors per recreation.
Concluding his faculty hockey tenure, Graf earned 130 factors (54 objectives, 76 assists) throughout 112 video games.
Graf has been a two-time nominee for the Hobey Baker Award, which acknowledges the most effective participant in NCAA males’s hockey.
Per The Athletic’s Michael Russo, roughly 25 groups confirmed curiosity in Graf, who had narrowed his choices to 6 groups.
Within the rebuild
Graf is about to affix the Sharks roster instantly for the present 2023-24 season. Group Teal may make the most of his skills in a high line to maximise his offensive alternatives and help his improvement.
Because the franchise actively recruits an inflow of younger expertise, it indicators a dedication to rebuilding for future success.
The present common age for the Sharks’ roster is 27 years outdated. With a wave of promising prospects aged 19-21, the staff is about to change into notably youthful within the coming seasons.
Acquired belongings embrace a 2024 1st spherical choose (from PIT), 2025 1st spherical choose (from VGK), and 2024 2nd spherical choose (from NJD). These acquisitions, alongside skilled veterans mentoring youthful gamers, may drastically profit the staff’s rebuild and improvement course of.
Taking part in restricted video games this season, Captain Logan Couture’s potential return subsequent yr provides hope for restoring management to the staff.
With seven video games remaining within the season, it is going to be fascinating to see Graf’s potential position on a Sharks’ line. Sharks have 4 video games at dwelling and three on the street to complete the season. They tackle the St. Louis Blues at dwelling on Saturday.
You’ll be able to “Like” The Sport Haus on Fb and “Observe” us on X for extra sports activities articles like this one.
Featured picture courtesy of San Jose Sharks on NHL.com
“From Our Haus to Yours”
