RW Collin Graf (2021 undrafted; Signed by SJS)

[Hockeyville USA]

I would guest Bos or DET. Would love to see MTL go after him but I don't think he will choose a Canadian team aswell.

Do you guy have a comp for him ? Seems like he's one of the best NCAA UFA that I've seen in a long time.

Great Value Owen Tippett.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

It would be disappointing if Nashville didn't retain him. He seemed to make a good impression at the Preds' development camp, and hopefully the organization likewise made a good impression on him. There is certainly upward-mobility available in Nashville atm, including the opportunity for immediate NHL games and an ELC-burn at the end of the current season.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Any rumours about who he gonna sign with?

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Which NHL team will get him?

Nearly every team will try. And its been hard to get information on his preferences, but based on what we do know, we can guess some favorites.

Here are some of the teams that might become front runners for him. Boston may be favorite as they are hometown team and friends have said that would be his dream. He grew up playing for Jr Bruins. But he also wants to play right away and it may be a crowded lineup. He attended his first training camp in Florida in summer of 2022 and went all out to try and sign him last year. Nashville has often been aggressive with NCAA free agents under previous regime and had Graf to their development camp last summer.

Vegas has been scouting him heavily this year and reportedly attempted to sign him last year. Colorado is one of the few contenders that could probably find a spot on lineup. Unknown if they made offer last year. Vancouver has had frequent scouts at his games this year and was among teams to make an offer last year. Carolina attempted to sign last year and were successful in inking his teammate Perets. San Jose has been rumored to be sniffing around and can probably guarantee playing time right away. Arizona is likely to sign his linemate (Lipkin) and there has even been some talk about bringing Graf, Quillon, Lipkin, one of the best lines (if not, THE best line) in NCAA to Arizona as a unit (Quillon is probably among the top-5 NCAA free agents this year).

Rough guess at what I'd think Odds would look like:


BOS: +700
FLA: +900

NSH: +1100

VGK: +1800
COL: +1900
VAN: +2000

CAR: +2300
SJS: +2300

ARI: +2500

MIN: +3000
STL: +3000

BUF: +4000
CGY: +4000
CBJ: +4000
LAK: +4000
NJD: +4000
PIT: +4000

ANA: +6000
CHI: +6000
DAL: +6000
MTL: +6000
OTT: +6000
SEA: +6000
TBL: +6000
WAS: +6000

DET: +8000
EDM: +8000
NYI: +8000
NYR: +8000
PHI: +8000
TOR: +8000
WPG: +8000




--------

My top NCAA free agents this year

1. Collin Graf (RW, Quinnpiac)


[Big Gap]



2. Riese Gaber (RW, North Dakota)
3. Jacob Quillan (C, Quinnpiac)

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Lightning should really make a serious push to sign him.

 

[newfy]

Thought he would sign with someone last year, but didn't, so there's likely going to be 32 teams after him

Pronman said in the athletic article he dropped today about NCAA free agents, that he was really close to signing in Detroit last year before finally deciding to go back to school. I would imagine if that was the case, then Detroit will still be in the mix, if not the favourite this year

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Pronman said in the athletic article he dropped today about NCAA free agents, that he was really close to signing in Detroit last year before finally deciding to go back to school. I would imagine if that was the case, then Detroit will still be in the mix, if not the favourite this year

Unless Detroit can't promise him a spot for the last few games, gotta imagine he goes back there which f***ing sucks as he seems like a really nice add to the prospect pool and the Habs likely miss out.

 

[Favin]

Any rumours about who he gonna sign with?

In short, no. They have kept in close to vest.

Boston and Nashville GMs both attended his last game vs Brown (Although Sweeney may have been there to see Jacob Quillan (who is rumored to be favoring Boston). Rod Brind'Amour's son (Carolina coach) played with him last year. He has attended training camps with Florida and Nashville, but does has said he doesn't have any ties to either. One rumor that was floated earlier in season was that he, Quillon were going to join Lipkin in Arizona (much like the Freshman BC line arrived as a group). He was rumored to have had offers from about twenty teams last year. There was some talk about Boston, Carolina and Detroit having the best chances of signing him then (although I believe the Detroit link was built off a rumor based on a friends instagram picture). This year, I have also seen Colorado, New Jersey, San Jose and Vegas linked to him (NJ and SJ General Managers have attended games in person).

He will get a lot more attention, and likely more offers, than any NCAA free agent in years.

If I had to guess: Favorites are Carolina, Nashville (darkhorse: Pittsburgh)

 

[Hockeyville USA]

In short, no. They have kept in close to vest.

Boston and Nashville GMs both attended his last game vs Brown (Although Sweeney may have been there to see Jacob Quillan (who is rumored to be favoring Boston). Rod Brind'Amour's son (Carolina coach) played with him last year. He has attended training camps with Florida and Nashville, but does has said he doesn't have any ties to either. One rumor that was floated earlier in season was that he, Quillon were going to join Lipkin in Arizona (much like the Freshman BC line arrived as a group). He was rumored to have had offers from about twenty teams last year. There was some talk about Boston, Carolina and Detroit having the best chances of signing him then (although I believe the Detroit link was built off a rumor based on a friends instagram picture). This year, I have also seen Colorado, New Jersey, San Jose and Vegas linked to him (NJ and SJ General Managers have attended games in person).

He will get a lot more attention, and likely more offers, than any NCAA free agent in years.

If I had to guess: Favorites are Carolina, Nashville (darkhorse: Pittsburgh)

I'm assuming Graf wants NHL games right away, does Carolina have room to offer that? They can't even give some of their better prospects that because their current roster is deep enough to block prospects

 

[johnnystormcgy]

I'm really hoping the Flames sign him, we have a spot open for him if he was willing to sign, and we have the space for high bonuses.

Although the Canada effect comes into it, so I doubt he would sign here.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

I'm really hoping the Flames sign him, we have a spot open for him if he was willing to sign, and we have the space for high bonuses.

Although the Canada effect comes it, so I doubt he would sign here.

Yeah he's not gonna sign in Canada

 

[Chainshot]

Thought he would sign with someone last year, but didn't, so there's likely going to be 32 teams after him

Florida was in pursuit last year, if that relationship is still there, I can see them being another front runner. They have had some success with UDFA's moving through their system to become productive NHLers. That may have some appeal.

 

[Favin]

I'm assuming Graf wants NHL games right away, does Carolina have room to offer that? They can't even give some of their better prospects that because their current roster is deep enough to block prospects

I don't know, to be honest. I'm sure they figure it out. If they are comfortably in playoff spot....maybe they could give him some regular season games to see what he has got.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Any word on who he's leaning towards signing with?

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

Any word on who he's leaning towards signing with?

Im surprised the rangers arent thought to be contenders. Nyc is an ideal city for a 20 something professional athlete to live and thin at RW

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Im surprised the rangers arent thought to be contenders. Nyc is an ideal city for a 20 something professional athlete to live and thin at RW

Graf will likely want to be promised NHL games to end the season if he signs. Not sure if the Rangers or several other teams can offer that. Graf could be a New York hater additionally, he's from Massachusetts.

 

[Brodeur]

Graf will likely want to be promised NHL games to end the season if he signs. Not sure if the Rangers or several other teams can offer that. Graf could be a New York hater additionally, he's from Massachusetts.

If Quinnipiac makes the Frozen Four (April 11/13), there'd only be a few days left in the NHL regular season. So it might depend on whether they get deep in the tournament. Typically the guys with a bunch of offers would need a few days to sort things out. He probably has narrowed it down to a handful of teams already.

I recall when Drake Caggiula won with North Dakota in 2016, it coincided with the end of the NHL regular season. So he took his time (probably a couple weeks to party with the boys) and eventually signed a month later.

They weren't undrafted, but I remember BC's Miles Wood and Steve Santini being eliminated on the Thursday of the Frozen Four. They flew back to Boston with the team and the immediately drove to New Jersey to play in the Devils season finale on the Saturday. They both expressed how that quick turnaround was a little surreal since they didn't really have time to mentally unpack.

Graf would still count as 21 if he signs in the next month, so it'd have to be a 3 year ELC. He probably has enough leverage to have the contract get registered for this season and have the first year burned. The 10 game slide rule wouldn't apply to him, so he doesn't necessarily have to suit up in an NHL game. But usually if a team has been eliminated or has its playoff seed in place, then it's customary to suit the new guy up (and give a vet the night off before the playoffs).

Since Graf wasn't on a team's reserve list prior to the deadline, he'd be ineligible for the playoffs. So he couldn't jump in a la Chris Kreider, Cale Makar, or technically Nikita Gusev (with Vegas).

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Im surprised the rangers arent thought to be contenders. Nyc is an ideal city for a 20 something professional athlete to live and thin at RW

Thin at RW, but that’s where Othmann and Perreault are likely to play, so not that thin and why it’s unlikely.

 

[Son of Petter]

I'm really hoping the Flames sign him, we have a spot open for him if he was willing to sign, and we have the space for high bonuses.

Although the Canada effect comes into it, so I doubt he would sign here.

Flames gotta be the last possible team he would sign with considering the recent departure of Americans from that team.

 

[EXTRAS]

If he gets to choose you'd think his home state team would be the favorite.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

If he gets to choose you'd think his home state team would be the favorite.

Again, it would depend on his mindset. If he wants to be guaranteed NHL games to end the season or not.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

The Penguins are so shallow on the roster and in the prospect pool, Dubas should really put out the full court press to sign Graf

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

Boston would be the natural choice, as he's from MA. But maybe he doesn't care. Would surprise me if he signs with a Canadian team.

A highly-touted college kid from Massachusetts?


Welcome to the Rangers!

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

Exclusive | Rangers eyeing top college free agent in Quinnipiac’s Collin Graf

The Bobcat’s leading scorer, Collin Graf, has posted 48 points in 22 games this season, is naturally drawing a lot of interest around the NHL.

nypost.com

 

[Synergy27]

This kid will succeed because he has a hockey name. I don’t understand how this part of the matrix hasn’t been figured out by NHL execs.

 

[2014nyr]

Im surprised the rangers arent thought to be contenders. Nyc is an ideal city for a 20 something professional athlete to live and thin at RW

they're pursuing him, haven't seen much of him but imagine he's not at the level where he'd be a lock for a roster spot almost anywhere, and not sure they'd make the most appealing depth chart to jump into for a wing at the moment.

no idea what, if any, interest he's reciprocated, just that they've been involved. would be pretty surprised if they were the choice though.