The San Jose Sharks have taken care of one of their most important young forwards, locking up Collin Graf on a three-year, $12.75 million deal.
Graf is now the club’s top remaining free agent, and the new contract gives San Jose a clear answer on a player who has quickly become part of the forward core. The undrafted winger broke out in 2025-26 with 21 goals and 46 points in his first full NHL season. That came after he appeared in 33 games as a rookie in 2024-25, when he put up 11 points, and after he also produced 35 points in 40 AHL games that same year.
At 6-foot-1, Graf has carved out a valuable niche around the net. He battles for pucks down the boards and in tight spaces near the slot, and that work has helped create room for linemates Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini. He also showed real finishing touch in his 21-goal season, posting the third-highest expected-goals total on the team from medium-danger areas, with 7.19, trailing only Celebrini and William Eklund.
That middle-of-the-ice skill didn’t appear overnight. Graf spent three years in college hockey, starting with Union College in 2021-22. As a freshman, he had 22 points in 37 games, good for second on the team in scoring and first among forwards, even while a thin roster forced him into more basic responsibilities before he could fully drive offense.
His game took off after he transferred to Quinnipiac University. As a sophomore with the Bobcats, Graf found more room to attack in different ways and delivered 21 goals and 59 points in 41 games on the way to the 2023 National Championship.
That season also earned him major recognition, including a Hobey Baker Finalist nod. He got the same honor again as a junior, when he scored 22 goals and 49 points in 34 games.
Since signing with San Jose as an undrafted free agent in 2023, Graf has continued to climb and has earned a nightly role in the lineup. The new deal keeps him in that spot for the next three seasons. He should continue to see top-line minutes, though there is some pressure coming from prospect Igor Chernyshov for Celebrini’s wing, and Ivar Stenberg could also enter the mix after his historic draft year in the SHL.
Even if Graf slides down the lineup, the Sharks believe his production can hold up. His style gives high-skill forwards Michael Misa a physical, space-opening partner, and that versatility is part of why San Jose was comfortable committing to a $4.25 million cap hit. It also leaves Graf with a chance to position himself for a much larger payday as he moves deeper into his prime.
In Other News...
Sharks Just Sent A Clear Message With Macklin Celebrini
The Sharks have made their intentions unmistakable with Macklin Celebrini, locking up the centerpiece of their rebuild long before they had to. San Jose signed the young star to a five-year, $94 million contract extension that does not begin until the 2027-28 season, a move that cements him as the franchise face and puts him at the center of everything the organization wants to build.
For a team still trying to climb back into contention, the deal is as much about message as money. It gives the Sharks long-term stability with a player they believe in, and it comes with a structure that includes a significant portion in signing bonuses, underscoring just how heavily the club has invested in keeping Celebrini in teal for the foreseeable future. [Read more 🡒]
Will Smith Just Became A Bigger Priority For The Sharks
Mike Griers latest move only sharpened the Sharks next big task. After locking up Collin Graf on a three-year deal, San Jose now has a clearer picture of its young forward group and a little more urgency to address the player who may matter most in the long run. Will Smith, the 21-year-old and 2023 fourth overall pick, has already shown enough offense in his first two NHL seasons to make him one of the more important pieces in the organizations rebuild.
The Sharks also have the cap flexibility to make a serious push next summer, which should help when it comes time to handle Smith along with other restricted free agents. The tricky part is finding the right number, and that conversation could be shaped by the market for similar young centers around the league. For San Jose, this is the sort of negotiation that can quietly define the direction of the roster, even if the final agreement is still some time away. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Just Set Up The Macklin Celebrini Debate Fans Expected
Macklin Celebrinis rise has already become one of the defining stories in San Jose, and his new five-year extension only deepens that conversation. The 20-year-old coming off a 115-point season was always going to command a massive number, but the Sharks managed to lock in their franchise centerpiece early, with the deal set to begin in the 2027-28 season and giving the organization a clearer long-term direction.
What makes the contract stand out is how it positions San Jose for the years ahead. Even with Celebrinis place at the center of the rebuild secure, the structure leaves the Sharks with more flexibility than many expected for a player at this level, and it immediately invites the larger question fans were waiting for: how high could the number have gone if the team and Celebrini had pushed all the way to the ceiling? [Read more 🡒]