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Collin Graf

San Jose Sharks Reassign Collin Graf

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According to a team announcement, the San Jose Sharks have reassigned forward Collin Graf to their AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. Graf is not expected to play in the NHL again this season.

Graf had a quality longer-term stay with the Sharks this season. He scored five goals and 11 points in 33 games with a -4 rating, a nine-point improvement from his 2023-24 output in 26 additional games. He saw notable improvement in his possession and defensive metrics, but that’s understandable given his increased usage.

The Lincoln, MA native didn’t excel in any one area of his game this season. Still, he appeared to find some chemistry alongside center Alexander Wennberg this season. Graf spent much of his time in the NHL alongside Wennberg, with Tyler Toffoli or William Eklund operating on the opposite wing. Those line combinations were above average, producing a 62.2% xGoals% and a 52.5% xGoals%, respectively.

Still, although he played well, it can’t be overlooked that Graf didn’t offer much in point totals alongside some of the Sharks’ best offensive weapons. The obvious counterargument is that despite having some prominent forwards, San Jose’s offense is one of the worst in the league, so any of Graf’s output, or lack thereof, should be taken with a grain of salt.

If he becomes the player he is in the AHL, the Sharks will have a quality secondary scorer in their midst. Graf has scored eight goals and 32 points in 35 games for AHL San Jose this season, which is good for seventh on the team in scoring. Now that the Barracuda appear headed for a First Round appearance in the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs, Graf will assist their efforts the rest of the way.

Minor Transactions: 3/7/25

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Similarly to the NHL, AHL playoff rosters are also due today before the trade deadline. Any player currently rostered in the AHL is eligible for the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs, regardless of a future call-up. Today’s list will continue to grow until the 3 p.m. deadline.

  • According to a team announcement, the Dallas Stars have reassigned defenseman Lian Bichsel to their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars. Although the reassignment came with a formal announcement from the team, it should only serve as a paper transaction for Bichsel to ensure he’s eligible for the Calder Cup playoffs. The rookie defenseman has scored two goals and three assists in 20 games for the Stars this season, averaging 14:54 of ice time per night. He’s made his presence known by averaging over four hits a game, but he’s been on the wrong end of some highlight videos early in his NHL career. Dallas confirmed it as a paper transaction later, recalling Bichsel quickly after the deadline.
  • As alluded to yesterday, the Philadelphia Flyers have confirmed the reassignment of netminder Aleksei Kolosov to their AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Given that he’s been Philadelphia’s third-string option for much of the season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kolosov’s reassignment extend beyond the trade deadline. The second-year netminder has a 4-8-1 record in 15 games with the Flyers this season with a .870 SV% and 3.45 GAA. His performance hasn’t been any better with AHL Lehigh Valley as he’s recorded a 2-4-1 record in seven AHL contests with a .874 SV% and 3.59 GAA.
  • The Calgary Flames are making Adam Klapka available to their AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers, for the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs, per a team report. Similarly to Kolosov, this reassignment may extend through the deadline. Klapka has spent much of the year in AHL Calgary, scoring 13 goals and 25 points in 31 contests. He’s been far less utilized by the Flames, registering one goal in 13 contests and averaging 8:10 of ice time per game.
  • According to Andy Androckitis of Inside AHL Hockey, the San Jose Sharks are expected to reassign defenseman Jimmy Schuldt and Jack Thompson to their AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. As a minor contextual update, Max Miller of The Hockey News believes Thompson’s reassignment is a paper transaction to make him eligible for the AHL postseason. Despite low scoring output, Thompson has been an effective defenseman for the Sharks this season, averaging a 92.1% on-ice save percentage at even strength, the best on the team among defensemen with more than 20 games played.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets announced they’ve reassigned forward Joseph Labate to their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters. As one of the most feel-good stories of the 2024-25 campaign, Labate took the ice in the NHL for the first time in eight years this season. The 31-year-old winger had spent the last several years bouncing around on AHL contracts with a one-year pitstop in the KHL. He scored six goals and 13 points in 33 games with AHL Cleveland before being elevated to an NHL contract with the Blue Jackets.
  • After announcing that defenseman Colton Parayko would miss the next six weeks due to a knee injury, the St. Louis Blues were expected to make a recall on defense. The team announced that recall this morning, sharing that they’ve brought up Matthew Kessel from their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. The Phoenix, AZ native has already spent time as a seventh defenseman for the Blues this season, tallying three assists in 27 games while averaging 13:05 of ice time per game.
  • Strictly as a paper move, Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Chicago Blackhawks have reassigned forward Colton Dach and defenseman Ethan Del Mastro to their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. Both players will remain in the Blackhawks’ lineup for the rest of the season before they are returned to AHL Rockford at the end of the season, should they qualify for the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs. Dach has scored two goals and six points in 18 games with Chicago, while Del Mastro has registered two goals and three points in 12 contests.
  • As expected, the Detroit Red Wings have placed forward Carter Mazur on injured reserve one day after his debut. Mazur suffered a dislocated elbow approximately one minute into his NHL career, and he’s likely done for the regular season. In a corresponding transaction, the Red Wings have recalled forward Dominik Shine from their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. Shine is only a couple of weeks removed from signing the first NHL contract of his career, tallying one assist in four games for Detroit in late January.
  • The Montreal Canadiens announced they’ve reassigned forward Owen Beck and goaltender Jakub Dobes to their AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, for eligibility in the Calder Cup playoffs. Beck has been an extremely effective forward for the Rocket this year, scoring 13 goals and 32 points in 47 games. Meanwhile, Dobes has made a name for himself in Montreal, managing a 6-2-1 record in 10 games with a .909 SV% and 2.63 GAA, including one shutout.
  • The Los Angeles Kings aren’t entirely sold on Brandt Clarke’s future with the team. A report from Greg Wyshynski of ESPN this morning indicated the Kings were shopping Clarke on the trade market, and they’ve now reassigned him to their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, along with Samuel Helenius (Twitter Link). Both players should be back on the NHL roster tomorrow, with the move signifying they’ll be eligible for the AHL postseason. Still, it’s a notable development as it indicates Los Angeles may want Clarke in the AHL for the Reign’s postseason run rather than their own.
  • According to a team announcement, the Carolina Hurricanes have reassigned defenseman Riley Stillman to their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. Stillman filled in for Dmitry Orlov in last night’s contest but didn’t make it through the full game due to getting his face cut by a skate. He finished last night’s contest against the Boston Bruins with zero points after skating in 18 seconds of the game’s action.
  • In addition to Schuldt and Thompson, Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News shares that the Sharks have reassigned defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin and forward Collin Graf to AHL San Jose. They’re both expected back on the Sharks’ roster later today or tomorrow, but the roster move will make them eligible for the AHL postseason. Mukhamadullin and Graf have both spent much of the year with the Barracuda. In short order, Pashelka reports the Sharks have recalled both players back to the NHL roster.
  • Due to another injury to netminder John Gibson on Wednesday, the Anaheim Ducks were expected to recall another goaltender. Anaheim announced they’ve recalled Ville Husso from their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, to fill the void left by Gibson. It’s Husso’s first call-up with the Ducks since being acquired from the Red Wings on February 24th. He posted a 1-5-2 record in nine games in Detroit this season with a .866 SV% and 3.69 GAA.
  • For the fifth time this year, the New York Rangers have assigned defenseman Chad Ruhwedel to their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. Ruhwedel has primarily played for AHL Hartford this season in his first extended stay in the AHL since 2016-17. The veteran defenseman has recorded three goals and 12 points in 36 contests with a +8 rating.
  • After a flurry of trade activity over the last couple of days, the Seattle Kraken are making a small roster move for the benefit of their AHL roster. The Kraken announced they’ve reassigned forwards Jacob Melanson and Ben Meyers to their AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, and have recalled John Hayden in a corresponding transaction. The former debuted in the NHL last night, notching four hits and one takeaway in 9:53 of ice time.
  • In a major boost to their playoff chances, the AHL’s Providence Bruins will have several players available for the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs. Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal reports the Boston Bruins have papered down Marat Khusnutdinov, Vinni Lettieri, Patrick Brown, Ian Mitchell, Riley Tufte, and Matthew Poitras to the AHL for their postseason eligibility. All six players are expected back on the Bruins roster by this evening or tomorrow morning.
  • As expected, the Buffalo Sabres have papered down forward Jiří Kulich to their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Kulich has been an impressive player for AHL Rochester over the last few seasons and should continue to be in the postseason. He’s scored 53 goals and 94 points in 123 games on the Americans’ roster.  Later in the day, the Americans announced that forwards Isak Rosen and Joshua Dunne were recalled on an emergency basis so they won’t count toward the post-deadline limit.
  • According to a team announcement, the Edmonton Oilers have returned defenseman Cam Dineen to their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, from his emergency recall. Unlike many of the roster moves on today’s list, Dineen has a solid chance of playing the remainder of the year with AHL Bakersfield. The 26-year-old defenseman has scored five goals and 29 points in 45 games for the Condors this season while only registering one game with the Oilers.
  • In addition to recalling Emil Andrae, the Philadelphia Flyers are also making two more player recalls to their NHL roster. The team announced they’ve recalled forwards Olle Lycksell and Rodrigo Abols to the NHL roster for Saturday’s game against the Seattle Kraken. Abols has scored one goal and one assist in nine games for the Flyers this season, while Lycksell has gone scoreless in six contests.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have joined in on the mix of teams ensuring their top prospects are eligible for the AHL playoffs. They have assigned defenseman Victor Mancini, forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki, and goaltender Arturs Silovs to the AHL. Lekkerimaki has three points in 12 NHL games this season, while Mancini didn’t manage any scoring in his sole appearance with the Canucks so far. Silovs has operated as the team’s third-string goalie and has a 1-6-1 record and .858 save percentage on the year.  All three players were subsequently recalled soon after the deadline.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they’ve recalled defenseman Jack St. Ivany from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on an emergency basis.  The 25-year-old has played in 19 games with Pittsburgh this season, recording one assist while averaging 16:22 of playing time per game.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Minor Transactions: 2/18/25

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The transaction wire is active again today, with many teams hosting their first practices in over a week. The regular season schedule after the 4 Nations Face-Off resumes this weekend, so the players who teams reassigned to the minors over the break to continue playing will be added back to rosters today and tomorrow to make them eligible to practice with their NHL teammates. Here are all of today’s moves that largely constituted reversals of pre-break demotions.

  • The Hurricanes announced they’ve promoted defenseman Riley Stillman from AHL Chicago. While he’d been off the roster for a few days already prior to the break, he’s been a frequent traveler between Carolina and Chicago this season. He was last rostered for a game on Jan. 28 against the Rangers – his season debut, in which he recorded a fight and a shot on goal in 7:40 of ice time. A routine healthy scratch/extra defenseman, Stillman is close to requiring waivers again to head to the minors after clearing them in November. The 26-year-old has 2-3–5 with 41 PIMs and a minus-three rating in 20 AHL contests this year.
  • The Stars announced they’ve recalled defenseman Lian Bichsel from AHL Texas. He was quietly shuttled down on Feb. 8 after making eight straight appearances for Dallas leading into the break. The 2022 first-rounder has 2-3–5 and a plus-six rating through his first 16 career NHL games, all coming this season, and will continue in a regular role for the time being with Miro Heiskanen and Nils Lundkvist on the shelf.
  • The Canucks announced they’ve promoted all of center Nils Åman, forward Arshdeep Bains, and defenseman Elias Pettersson from AHL Abbotsford. They also added goalie Arturs Silovs from the Baby Canucks on an emergency loan and will have Nikita Tolopilo around as a practice goaltender until Kevin Lankinen is ready to return from representing Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off, although the latter won’t take up a roster spot. Åman and Pettersson were sent to Abbotsford on Feb. 8, but this is Bains’ first recall since late November. The 24-year-old winger had one goal and a minus-four rating in 11 games earlier this season but has remained a near point-per-game threat in the minors, posting 7-20–27 in 32 AHL games. He’ll now get another crack at NHL minutes in the final season of his entry-level contract. Silovs, who’s struggled to the tune of a 1-4-1 record and .847 SV% in seven NHL appearances this season, will come up to serve as Lankinen’s No. 2 with Thatcher Demko still dealing with the undisclosed injury that caused him to leave Vancouver’s last pre-break game against the Maple Leafs. Tolopilo’s stay will be brief, and the 24-year-old will return to Abbotsford as soon as Lankinen is available.
  • The Penguins called up winger Emil Bemström and goalie Joel Blomqvist from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and returned netminder Tristan Jarry to the minors in a corresponding transaction, the team announced. It’s a pure reversal of the moves Pittsburgh made after their last game on Feb. 8. Bemström has no points and two shots in two games since being recalled for the first time this season on Feb. 7, while Blomqvist has a 3-8-0 record with a .896 SV% and 3.54 GAA in 11 appearances on the year. The 23-year-old has struggled since taking over for Jarry on the roster, posting a .868 SV% in three starts since the veteran was waived in mid-January. The 29-year-old Jarry will continue to bide his time in the minors as he awaits another NHL chance, knocking on the door with a .924 SV% and 2.11 GAA in nine games.
  • The Rangers announced they’ve recalled goaltender Dylan Garand from AHL Hartford. The 22-year-old comes up to serve as Jonathan Quick’s backup with Igor Shesterkin not ready to return from the upper-body injury that kept him out of New York’s final game before the break. He’s sporting a .914 SV%, 2.73 GAA, three shutouts, and a 13-7-5 record in 25 showings with Hartford this year.
  • The Blackhawks summoned defenseman Ethan Del Mastro from AHL Rockford, a team announcement states. Chicago sent the 22-year-old down at the beginning of the break for additional playing time in the minors, where he posted three shots and a plus-one rating in four games over the past couple of weeks. He has one assist in six NHL games since first being called up in late January and will continue competing for bottom-pairing minutes while Louis Crevier is on injured reserve with a concussion.
  • The Bruins recalled defenseman Michael Callahan, center Matthew Poitras, and left-winger Riley Tufte from AHL Providence – the latter coming up under emergency conditions, per the team. Goaltender Michael DiPietro will also practice with the team while Jeremy Swayman remains with Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off but won’t count against the active roster. Callahan’s and Poitras’ recalls are reversals of pre-break assignments, with the former’s recall serving as confirmation that Hampus Lindholm won’t be ready to come off LTIR before Saturday’s game against the Ducks. Tufte’s recall is his first since November, and his inclusion is a solid indication that Charlie McAvoy will be IR-bound after sustaining an upper-body injury and subsequent infection at the 4 Nations.
  • The Jets announced they’ve recalled Kaapo Kähkönen from AHL Manitoba to serve as a practice player with Connor Hellebuyck slated to start for the Americans in Thursday’s 4 Nations championship. He’s played one NHL game since signing a one-year, $1MM deal in Winnipeg last offseason – although it was for the Avalanche, who claimed him off waivers in October but lost him back to the Jets on the wire the following month. The 28-year-old has taken a tumble in Manitoba with a .885 SV% in 20 games – a worse save percentage than he posted on last year’s league-worst Sharks.
  • The Sharks announced they’ve recalled forward Collin Graf and defenseman Jack Thompson from AHL San Jose. They were both assigned to the minors after their final pre-break game, although notably, veteran Andrew Poturalski remains in the minors after being demoted along with Graf and Thompson. The rookies are both likely to play next Sunday against the Flames.
  • Utah announced they’d recalled winger Josh Doan from AHL Tucson after the previously reported summons of goaltender Jaxson Stauber. His reinstatement to the roster suggests Logan Cooley won’t be quite ready to return from his lower-body injury this weekend against the Kings, but general manager Bill Armstrong said yesterday he’s not expected out for much longer. Doan has 4-5–9 in 25 NHL games and 11-15–26 in 28 AHL games this year.
  • The Blues will have goaltender Will Cranley join them for practice while Jordan Binnington remains with Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, the club announced. Cranley, 22, was a sixth-round pick of 2020 and is in his second season of pro hockey. He’s spent almost all of his time in the ECHL, where he has a .911 SV% and 2.28 GAA in 16 appearances with the Florida Everblades this year.
  • The Predators recalled goalie Matt Murray to join them as a practice player while Juuse Saros returns from repping the Fins at the 4 Nations, Emma Lingan of The Hockey News reports. Murray has yet to appear in a game for Nashville after spending the past few years in the Stars organization but has been recalled a few times as injury insurance this season. The 27-year-old has a sparkling .930 SV%, 2.17 GAA, two shutouts, and a 17-7-6 record for Milwaukee.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled forwards Gage Goncalves and Gabriel Fortier to join as practice players. Goncalves has served as Tampa Bay’s extra forward for much of the year. His NHL career is still young, and his one goal and seven points in 33 games with the Lightning marks the first scoring of his career. Goncalves has also scored 18 points in 14 AHL games this year. Fortier has spent his whole season in the minors and scored 10 goals and 17 points in 37 games. He ranks third on the Syracuse Crunch in goals and seventh in points.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Minor Transactions: 2/9/25

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The league will continue to see many AHL demotions today after all but four teams wrapped up their pre-4 Nations Face-Off break schedule on Saturday. We’ve already seen a few this morning, namely in Pittsburgh and Boston, and we will continue to track the rest in this article as fringe players head to the minors to get playing time over the next few weeks.

  • The Predators announced they’ve reassigned wingers Joakim Kemell, Ozzy Wiesblatt, and defenseman Kevin Gravel to AHL Milwaukee. They now have three open roster spots, two of which could go to IR-bound Mark Jankowski and Jeremy Lauzon in the likely event they’re ready to return from injury when their schedule resumes on Feb. 22. The most notable of the trio is Kemell, who made his NHL debut across Nashville’s Friday-Saturday back-to-back and managed eight shots on goal across the pair of games. However, he’s still looking for his first NHL point. The 2022 first-rounder has 9-16–25 in 38 AHL contests this season.
  • Wild winger Liam Ohgren will return to AHL Iowa over the break, per a team announcement. The fellow 2022 first-rounder has bounced between Minnesota and Iowa this year but spent the past couple of weeks filling in the Wild’s top six with Marcus Johansson and Kirill Kaprizov missing time. It hasn’t been an overly productive first look in the NHL for the Swedish winger, who’s managed 2-4–6 in 23 appearances since debuting late last season. He’ll likely be back up after the break, with Kaprizov still set to miss another couple of weeks following lower-body surgery.
  • The Sharks reassigned forwards Collin Graf and Andrew Poturalski and defenseman Jack Thompson to AHL San Jose, the club said. Their post-break returns likely depend on the health of Nikolai Kovalenko, Jan Rutta, and Nico Sturm, all of whom enter the break on injured reserve with day-to-day designations. If all three are ready to return, the Sharks will need those roster spots to activate them, as they were carrying a full roster before this morning’s moves.
  • The Blues sent forward Zachary Bolduc down to AHL Springfield this morning. It’s just the second time this season he’s been assigned to Springfield, and the first was a one-day demotion before opening night to help St. Louis optimize their LTIR capture. The 21-year-old has 6-12–18 through 46 games and will return to the NHL following the break. In the meantime, the 2021 first-round pick will continue to get reps in Springfield amid a promising sophomore campaign in the majors with good possession numbers.
  • Blackhawks rookie defenseman Ethan Del Mastro is back down with AHL Rockford, Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The 22-year-old lefty has one assist and 13 hits in six games since being recalled on Jan. 23. His 52.0 CF% at even strength is far above team average and is a promising sign for the 2021 fourth-rounder’s prospects at making the opening night roster next year. The 6’4″, 210-lb active defender has eight assists in 38 showings with Rockford this year, along with a plus-four rating.
  • The Rangers returned goaltender Dylan Garand to AHL Hartford after his services were needed to backup Jonathan Quick in last night’s 4-3 win over the Blue Jackets. The 22-year-old will only be back up after the break if Igor Shesterkin, who missed the game due to an upper-body injury, isn’t cleared to return. The 2020 fourth-rounder is coming off an appearance in the AHL All-Star Classic and has a 2.68 GAA, .913 SV%, three shutouts, and a 12-7-4 record in 23 showings for Hartford.
  • The Utah Hockey Club has assigned Josh Doan to the minor-leagues per Cole Bagley of KSL Sports. This move is likely intended to keep Doan on the ice while the club prepares for their two-week break. Doan has been in the NHL roster routinely since January 10th. He has five points in 15 games in that span, including two in his last two games. He’s been highly impactful even despite modest scoring totals, and should get a chance to continue carving out a role when Utah returns on February 22nd.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

San Jose Sharks Sign Colin White

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Jan. 25: According to a team announcement, the Sharks have officially signed White to a one-year, two-way contract.

Jan. 24: The Sharks are signing unrestricted free agent center Colin White to a contract for the remainder of the season, Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News reports Friday. He’s been in the organization since August when he signed a one-year deal with AHL San Jose.

It’s unclear if the deal will be registered before tomorrow’s game against the Panthers, but Pashelka said White was on the ice at practice with his new NHL teammates today. His signing is part of a larger group of roster moves the Sharks made Friday, which also included reassigning rookie forward Collin Graf to the AHL, recalling veteran enforcer Scott Sabourin, and moving forward Ty Dellandrea to injured reserve. The Sharks will have a full active roster when all the moves are executed.

White, 27, has battled injuries with the Barracuda this season but has managed five goals and 10 points with a minus-three rating in 20 games when healthy. The 2015 first-rounder had to settle for a minor-league contract last summer after going pointless in 28 games, split between the Penguins and Canadiens.

The Boston native once looked to be a promising top-nine piece with the Senators. He posted 14 goals and 27 assists for 41 points in 74 games in his first entire NHL season back in 2018-19, but he never topped those numbers. Injuries began to pile up over the next few seasons before a dislocated shoulder cost him over half of the 2021-22 campaign. He was limited to 10 points in 24 games when healthy that year, leading the Sens to buy him out halfway through the six-year, $28.5MM deal they gave him as an RFA following his breakout year.

White landed with the Panthers after the buyout, posting 15 points in 68 games in a fourth-line role and playing in all 21 playoff games as they lost to the Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final. It wasn’t enough to convince Florida to retain him, though, and they did not tender him a qualifying offer at the end of the season. He needed to wait until September until the Penguins extended him a tryout offer, which yielded a two-way deal and his first extended AHL action in six years.

The 6’1″ pivot will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, and he’ll need to clear waivers if the Sharks attempt to send him back to the AHL.

Returning to the minors to make room for the veteran recalls is Graf. San Jose signed the 22-year-old as an undrafted free agent out of Quinnipiac last summer after he was named the ECAC’s Player of the Year and a nominee for the Hobey Baker Award thanks to his 22 goals and 49 points in 34 games.

Graf got off on the right foot in the pros, posting 26 points through 29 AHL games to start 2024-25 before earning an NHL recall on New Year’s Eve. He’s remained on the Sharks’ roster since then but was a healthy scratch in last night’s loss to the Predators after posting two assists with a minus-four rating in 10 appearances.

Graf averaged 14:17 per game during his recall, recording seven blocks and 10 hits. The 6’1″ winger looked overmatched at times, posting a team-worst 38.6 CF% at even strength among skaters with at least 10 games played.

Sabourin, 32, is in his second season with the Sharks organization. The 6’4″ heavyweight winger has 46 NHL games to his name, three of which came with San Jose last season during a January call-up.

Since signing a two-year, two-way deal with the Sharks as a free agent in 2023, Sabourin has 23 goals and 17 assists for 40 points with 240 PIMs in 94 AHL appearances. He hasn’t logged significant NHL ice time since appearing in a career-high 35 games as a 27-year-old rookie with the Senators in 2019-20.

Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Dellandrea left last night’s loss to the Preds with an upper-body injury and didn’t return. It’s unclear if this injury is related to the UBI that held him out for four games in October and November, but regardless, he’s now been ruled out of the team’s next three games. The 2018 first-rounder hasn’t been a good fit in the Bay Area after they acquired his signing rights from the Stars over the offseason, limited to one goal and four assists with a -15 rating in 41 appearances.

Sharks Place William Eklund On IR, Recall Collin Graf

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The San Jose Sharks are getting some much-needed forward depth before their game tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers. The organization announced they recalled Collin Graf from their AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, and placed forward William Eklund on injured reserve to open up the roster spot.

There are no surprises with Eklund’s placement on the injured reserve. It’s been known for over a week that he would miss a few games with an upper-body injury making his transaction a formality. He’s eligible to return any day now considering the move was retroactive to December 23rd.

Still, he’s an important piece missing from the lineup. He’s still dealing with some growing pains at the NHL level but has been productive this season with seven goals and 20 assists in 36 games. He’s tied with Macklin Celebrini for second on the team in scoring despite being drafted only four years ago.

Graf doesn’t carry the same prospect pedigree as Eklund but has been an electric factory for the Barracuda this season. He’s scored six goals and 26 points in 29 games in his first full season with AHL San Jose good for second on the team in scoring.

The call-up should be a good opportunity for Graf to prove his long-term worth in the NHL. Should he continue his pace in the AHL, he’ll likely become a consistent player on the Sharks after their expected trade deadline activity.

Sharks Sign Collin Graf To Entry-Level Contract

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3:21 p.m.: PuckPedia has the full details of Graf’s contract, which expires in 2026 and will make him a 10.2c RFA, meaning he’s ineligible to sign an offer sheet. The deal carries a $942K cap hit and breaks down as follows:

2023-24: $830K base salary, $95K signing bonus, $25K bonus for 5+ games played
2024-25/2025-26: $855K base salary, $95K signing bonus, $500K Schedule A performance bonus

11:57 a.m.: The San Jose Sharks have won the Collin Graf sweepstakes, signing the top free agent to his entry-level contract on Thursday per The Athletic’s Chris Johnston (Twitter link). Johnston adds that the deal begins immediately, opening the door for Graf to make his first NHL appearance before the year’s end. San Jose has eight games left in their season and sit confidently at the bottom of the standings, making now a great time to test out young players.

Graf earns a move to the NHL after a tremendous collegiate career. He kicked it off with one year at Union College, moving to D1 hockey straight out of the USPHL-NCDC – a rare and challenging jump to make. But he handled it in stride, scoring 22 points in 37 games as a freshman but missing the postseason. Perhaps inspired by their run to a regional championship, Graf decided to transfer to Qunnipiac in the summer of 2022. And to say he found a new layer to his game would be an understatement. Graf flourished under the guidance of legendary NCAA coach Rand Pecknold, exploding for 21 goals and 59 points in 41 games last season. He followed it up with an even higher scoring rate this season, netting 22 goals and 49 points in just 34 games. His career 1.44 points-per-game rate is the third-highest in Qunnipiac history, and the most any Cougar has scored since Chris Cerrella’s collegiate career ended in 2001.

Graf earns his keep on the back of a phenomenal shot, and fantastic awareness in the offensive zone. While not the most eloquent skater, he’s shown a great understanding of how to slide into the danger areas of the ice and exploit open space. The strong offensive toolset makes him a must-watch for defenders, often leaving teammates open and giving Graf a chance to use a passing ability that’s nearly as good as his shot. Keeping up with the tempo of play wasn’t always easy for Graf, and likely represents his biggest barrier in transitioning to the pro scene. But with an open role on a terrible team, it seems the sky is the limit for the red-hot Graf.

College Notes: Graf, Schlaine, Bradley, Basse, Grainger

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Winger Collin Graf is widely expected to sign his first professional contract in the coming days.  Regarded as one of the top college free agents available, most of the league had made inquiries and he’s in the process of whittling down his list.  To that end, Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports (Twitter link) that the Rangers are no longer in the mix for the 21-year-old.  Meanwhile, The Athletic’s Michael Russo adds (Twitter link) that the Wild are believed to still have a chance at signing him.  Graf is coming off another strong season at Quinnipiac where he recorded 22 goals and 27 assists in 34 games.  Wherever he signs, it’s quite likely he burns the first season of his entry-level deal this year; he’d be eligible to play down the stretch in the regular season but not in the playoffs.

Other news from around the college ranks:

  • Devils prospect Artem Schlaine has entered the transfer portal, relays Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal (Twitter link). The 22-year-old was a fifth-round pick by New Jersey back in 2020 (130th overall) and has spent four seasons in college, two with the University of Connecticut and the last two with Northern Michigan University.  Schlaine had a bit of a down year offensively compared to a year ago but still had 23 points in 27 games this season, good for second on the Wildcats in scoring.  The transfer means New Jersey should retain his rights for one more summer.
  • Red Wings prospect Chase Bradley is looking to test free agency this summer, Divver reports in a separate tweet. The 22-year-old was a seventh-rounder back in 2020 and while he has only played three years of college, he’s four years removed from being drafted and thus can leave school to test the open market.  Bradley had 11 goals and 11 assists with the University of Connecticut this season in his junior year.
  • Blackhawks goalie prospect Dominic Basse has transferred to St. Lawrence, the school announced (Twitter link). The 22-year-old was a sixth-rounder of Chicago in 2019, going 167th overall.  Basse played his first two years at Colorado College before spending the last two at St. Cloud State.  Last season, Basse posted a 2.75 GAA with a .896 SV% in 25 games and with Ben Kraws turning pro and signing with Dallas, he should have a shot at a heavy workload for his final collegiate campaign.
  • San Jose’s AHL affiliate announced the signing of Luke Grainger to a tryout agreement. The 24-year-old had a very successful senior year with Western Michigan, posting 14 points and 34 assists in 38 games, leading some to wonder if he’d get an NHL contract.  It doesn’t appear that will be coming just yet and while he’s on the Sharks’ affiliate, they don’t hold his NHL rights with this signing.

College Hockey Notes: Salminen, Graf, Sergeyev

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New Jersey Devils forward prospect Samu Salminen is set to enter the NCAA transfer portal, per James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now (Web link). Salminen has spent the last two seasons at the University of Connecticut, joining the school after six years in Jokerit’s youth program. Salminen has scored 17 points in both his freshman and sophomore seasons, playing in 27 games last year and 35 this year. He’s managed the scoring while serving in UConn’s middle six, averaging just under 15 minutes of ice time this season.

The Devils drafted Salminen in the third round of the 2021 NHL Draft, after a strong year with Jokerit’s U20 club. He’s praised as a smooth-moving playmaker, with the ability to fill his role in the middle lane of the ice, making an impact from slot to slot. And while he’s continued to show strong puck skills at UConn, Salminen could improve how he works into dangerous areas of the ice. He’ll look to build those skills as he adjusts to a new offense.

Salminen was originally committed to the University of Denver, swapping his commitment just a couple of months before his debut with UConn after reportedly facing challenges with Denver’s admissions. No schools have been linked to Salminen now that he’s returned to the open market, but it’s hard not to think previous connections could drive a move out West.

Other notes out of the NCAA:

  • The Boston Bruins are reportedly not in on prolific winger Collin Graf, says NHL.com’s Mark Divver (Twitter link). Graf is now on the open market after a strong collegiate career, managing 130 points across 112 collegiate games. The Bruins are always popular names in NCAA free agency – already signing Drew Bavaro, Ryan Bischel, Riley Duran, and Jaxon Nelson this Spring. But they’ll stray away from leading-scorer Graf, who is receiving plenty of interest from the rest of the league – with Divver adding that Graf has narrowed his list to six teams. He’s expected to sign in the coming days.
  • Top Calgary Flames goalie prospect Arsenii Sergeyev has entered the transfer portal and quickly decided on a new school – confirming a move from UConn to Pennsylvania State University through a social media post (Twitter link). Sergeyev will hope to step into Penn State’s starting role, after splitting starts in both of his seasons with UConn. He’s been fantastic in his underclassmen starts, managing 19 wins and a .913 save percentage in 35 appearances. It’s a continuation of Sergeyev’s strong USHL career, where he posted 30 wins and a .913 save percentage in 43 games. The Flames drafted Sergeyev in the seventh round of the 2021 NHL Draft. His early return has been incredibly positive, though Calgary will hold their breath as he moves to a highly competitive Big Ten conference.

Rangers Among Teams Interested In Collin Graf

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Quinnipiac winger Collin Graf attracted interest from NHL teams last year but opted to return to college for his junior season.  Once that campaign comes to an end, he’ll be highly coveted once again.  It appears the Rangers will be among them as Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports that New York is interested in signing Graf.

The 21-year-old put up 21 goals and 38 assists in 41 games at Quinnipiac last season and has produced at a similar level this year.  However, injuries cost him a few games earlier in the year so Graf’s point total won’t be quite as high this season.  That said, Graf sits tenth in NCAA scoring this year, collecting 22 goals along with 26 helpers through 31 games so far.

Graf won’t officially become available to sign until his season with the Bobcats comes to an end which could still be the better part of a month away depending on how far they go in the Frozen Four tournament.  Worth noting, he has attended development camps previously with Nashville and Florida; it stands to reason that those two teams will also be in on him if he decides to turn pro and eschew playing his senior year.

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