LHD Graham Sward - Wenatchee Wild, WHL (2022, 146th, NSH; traded to COL)

[landy92mack29]

Promising young defenseman who was taken 17th overall by Spokane in the 2018 bantam draft. Is a Sept 12th bday so he'll be one of the youngest players in next years draft but he's already a pretty mature and advanced player. Started the year down the depth chart but got his coaches trust over the year earning a top 4 spot by years end mainly next to Filip Kral. Big kid already at about 6'2 170 and assuming there's a season next year he should be the Chiefs #1 dman with Smith, Kral and King all turning pro or aging out. He's a pretty good skater from a speed+agility aspect but his stride is a little choppy/funky at times which is the main area he'll need to work on. Very smart player who moves the puck well and got a lot more aggressive as the year went on jumping into the play. Didn't get any PP time but good chance he'll be on the top unit with the likes of Beckman, Finley, Toporowski and Zummack which should definitely help his point totals. Pretty strong already with a good shot but this past year mainly used his shot to create rebounds/deflections so as he gets more experienced hopefully he'll shoot to score more as he has the ability. Was invited to Canada's Hlinka camp and would have likely made the team but unfortunately it's cancelled this year. All in all a promising player who I'm excited to watch over the coming years develop


Graham Sward at eliteprospects.com

 

[GermanSpitfire]

This kid should hear his name called this year. Got more responsibility in Spokane and ran with the opportunity. He was one of the youngest players eligible in last year's draft and the covid year really messed things up for his draft stock. He has rebounded nicley this year as Spokanes #1 Defender.

 

[landy92mack29]

Yeah he was playing hurt during the entire bubble experience which screwed him over but should be drafted this year. Wanted Avs to sign him after camp

 

[MMC]

Welcome to Nashville

 

[GermanSpitfire]

 

[Caser]

 

[Sticktape]

Does this guy have NHL upside? He's putting up big numbers this year.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Defenseman of the Year in the US Division but not signed by the Avalanche.

Any chance another team signs him to an ELC or is he headed to USport/minor pro?

 

[BKarchitect]

Kind of bizarre we signed one OA WHL blueliner in Hanzel and then days later included him in a swap for another OA WHL defender in Sward who we couldn’t bother to sign.

I guess the easy answer is Nashville needed the swap for the Trenin trade to go through but still kind of odd.

Then again there might not be a team or scouts or drafts more complete and absolute prospect busts than the Avs. The Avs might not be quite the worst drafting team overall, but when it comes to wasting assets/mid/late round picks on absolutely nobody prospects who aren’t even worth signing, the Avs have got to take the cake. Year after year they just piss picks away.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Kind of bizarre we signed one OA WHL blueliner in Hanzel and then days later included him in a swap for another OA WHL defender in Sward who we couldn’t bother to sign.

I guess the easy answer is Nashville needed the swap for the Trenin trade to go through but still kind of odd.

Then again there might not be a team or scouts or drafts more complete and absolute prospect busts than the Avs. The Avs might not be quite the worst drafting team overall, but when it comes to wasting assets/mid/late round picks on absolutely nobody prospects who aren’t even worth signing, the Avs have got to take the cake. Year after year they just piss picks away.

Tough to bury the Avs on this one. Looks like Sward is developing and may be a serviceable puck mover at the pro level - not a given for a 5th round pick.

At least they got assets for him.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Kind of bizarre we signed one OA WHL blueliner in Hanzel and then days later included him in a swap for another OA WHL defender in Sward who we couldn’t bother to sign.

I guess the easy answer is Nashville needed the swap for the Trenin trade to go through but still kind of odd.

Then again there might not be a team or scouts or drafts more complete and absolute prospect busts than the Avs. The Avs might not be quite the worst drafting team overall, but when it comes to wasting assets/mid/late round picks on absolutely nobody prospects who aren’t even worth signing, the Avs have got to take the cake. Year after year they just piss picks away.

They might have the worst development system tho. Their philosophies are ancient and expect prospects to graduate by magic with some sudden mindblowing performance. They are very stingy with ELCs, they haven’t even signed Cal Ritchie yet. I knew they were never going to sign Sward. They had him at their development camp in 2021, they’d never circle back on a guy they passed on. I seriously think they just took him back in the deal for optics reasons.