Graf is a 2002 who played his junior hockey for the NCDC’s Boston Jr. Bruins. He then started his college career at Union before the transfer portal led him to Quinnipiac. So far this year he has 26 points in 18 games and is the Bobcat’s leading scorer. Please take a look back at why Ian Moran had Collin Graf as a “C” rated 2021 NHL Draft prospect.
| Collin Graf | Quinnipiac University | NCAA | R | C | 6’0″ | 181 | Union | 2021 | Lincoln, MA | 2002 | 2020-2021: C 2022-2023: College Free Agent Signing |
Neutral Zone NHL’s Ian Moran’s comments, July 2021: Collin is smart. Really smart. He understands leverage really well and does a great job taking his opponent’s legs away from them. I mean he obviously has great vision and touch. Anyone can see that by the number of assists he’s put up over the past few years, but to me the thing that will give him a chance to play after college is his understanding of leverage. When he goes into 50/50 pucks Collin doesn’t just make contact to make contact. He takes away his opponent’s inside hip so that his opponent has limited strength. That limited power allows Collin to scoop the puck and generate transition or opportunities very quickly. I’ll be honest, I’m not sure how many draft boards Collin is on, but I have no doubt that teams will be watching his transition into college hockey very closely. With his brain, smooth touch and ability to win 50/50s he’s going to be a really interesting kid after a few years in a college strength program.
NCDC: Boston Jr. Bruins vs Islanders Hockey Club, January 2021: Graf was very impactful for the Jr. Bruins. He was their go to guy for key face-offs and he worked the left half wall on their power play to perfection. He showed poise and maturity in all facets of the game, but when it mattered most Graf stepped up. He scored the game tying goal on a power play late in the third. Where his high level awareness led to him jumping onto a rebound and burying the puck up under the bar to force overtime. It was an excellent quick stick rebound. To cap off his day Graf excelled during the 3 v 3 overtime. Again his puck poise was exceptional. He made a beautiful play drawing both Islander defenders to him before setting up a line mate for an open net one-timer (which missed). Rather than sulking he then battled back to the net front to generate a secondary scoring opportunity that resulted in a rebound for a game winning assist. Graf worked at both ends of the ice and as always his high hockey IQ separated him from his peers.
NCDC: Boston Jr. Bruins vs South Shore Kings, December 2020: Collin showed puck poise all over the ice. He consistently manipulated the defenders by just moving his eyes and adjusting his stick blade. In both the offensive and defensive zones e was strong below the dots and won 50/50 battles. He will be a player to watch as he continues to gain strength and quickness.
NCDC: Islanders Hockey Club at Jr. Bruins, December 2019: Collin had a good effort today, plays on the second line, the right shot forward is very crafty and smart. He sees the ice well and makes plays. Had a 1-1-2 line today, he is a bit undersized but he skill and mobility allow him to play at that size. Grade: B
Mass Festival 2002s, May 2019: Good speed and got in quick on the forecheck. Presents an active stick which caused many turnovers, a few he quickly turned in to offensive chances. He excelled offensively, protected the puck well, bought himself time and space with quick cut backs and reading the play well. Saw the ice extremely well throughout the weekend. Grade: B+
U18: NHL Midget Youth Cup, February 2020: The youngest player who made the U18 report, Collin is a slick skater. His stride is smooth and he used all of his legs. He is not big but very mobile and can change direction and maintain pace. Stop and start or turn with or without the puck. His first step is elite. Here he is afforded less space and was at a disadvantage in traffic. However, he is getting better at the small things. He worked hard backchecking through the middle of the ice. Got off checks first and slid with contact. Played key situations and overall did well against older, bigger players. Grade: B+
Beantown Summer Futures, Prospects, August 2018: Collin is a small slippery forward that can get up and down the ice. He has decent vision and good skill to make plays all over the ice. He is effective for his size and finds ways to avoid contact. Grade: B
Pro-Am Junior Chowder Cup, August 2018: Smaller, rugged forward that plays hard. He plays on the perimeter at times but is consistently around the puck. He has above average stick and puck skills and is creative. Makes simple, direct reads through the middle of the ice and does a good job identifying open teammates quickly. Solid player. Weekend Grade: B-
Blue Line Elite Prep Cup, June 2018: He is getting bigger and he is getting stronger. Still not a power forward but he was able to win more pucks along the wall here and his stride looked more powerful and balanced. He is very smart and also very clever. Instinctive player who was around lots of positive plays in Hooksett. With the puck, he moved with speed and changed pace. Lateral movement with a wide handle to avoid defenders. Rode contact and got off checks. Without the puck is where he is excellent. He is mature in his approach. Pulls defenders off his linemates with his movement away from the puck but also can sneak into shooting spots. Scored on a redirect that way. Stayed behind the puck when he should and worked hard on the forecheck. His shot was hard and he showed some jam in the crease. Boston area player to watch as a late 2002.
MA Festival 2002, May 2018: Graf was the smartest player on the ice, and in many cases he needs to be as the smallest player in this age group. His vision is superb to get rid of the puck when he feels the heat coming. He is keenly aware of where everyone is on the ice without taking a 2nd look and he has nifty hands to make difficult passes look routine. He can slip through tight windows despite not being straight-line quick: he’s more agile and shifty which gets defenders off balance. His ability to process the play at such a high level will keep him in the conversation. Has added some height and strength the last year and is a player to watch as he adds more.
U16: NHL Youth Cup, February 2018: Graf is fast, agile, athletic and tough to defend. He is unpredictable with the puck as he thinks outside the box and has the skills to back it up. Even though he was one of the smallest and one of the youngest players in the U16 Division, the late 2002 did not back down to anyone in any situation. He is more of a passer than shooter at this point but his hockey sense and inevitable addition of strength will allow him to score more as he develops. High energy and high tempo player.
U16: USPHL All Star Game, January 2018: Graf is easily the smallest player on the ice but he just keeps making smart plays time after time. At this age level, many players aren’t strong on their sticks yet, but Graf is and finds ways to steal the puck and take it the other way for an odd man rush. He is great at anticipating the play. He positions himself to steal passes, he is smart about disguising where he is and bolting when the opposition makes the move he saw first. He also has good vision on offense and always defers to the pass when he gets set up in the zone. We really like like his IQ. Grade: B
U16: Junior Bruins Shootout, October 2017: He may be on the smaller side, but he is skilled and competes hard. He gets in on the forecheck to cause havoc, he battles for pucks. He does not let his size dictate his game. He accelerates into the offensive forcing D to play him. We saw him on the ice in all situations, he has the skill & sense to be good on the PP and the work ethic to be on the PK.
U16: Tier 1 Labor Day Classic, September 2017: We like Graf more each time we watch. The late 2002 is productive, smart, skilled and fast. He forced defenders to react to him as he dictated pace and blew up opponents’ gaps. He is small and played well in space but it was his ability to get through traffic that we noticed here. He recognized cracks in the defense quickly and has the acceleration and skill to attack that space. Scored a goal that way from the corner where he attacked the net and scored on a nice, short-side wrist shot. Size didn’t limit as his speed, skill and smarts showed through.
Beantown Classic Futures Division, August 2017: One of the youngest players in the Futures division, Graf was one of the smallest but also one of the toughest. He never backed down from anyone. He had his struggles but his effort and IQ made him effective. Scored a goal on the last day on a breakaway where he got to a good spot, timed well, up ice, received the pass and showed nice hands to finish. The 2002 has a good approach and sense on the ice that will serve him well as he matures. C+
MA Final 40, May 2017: Graf is very small and very clever. He is quick and darts in and out of traffic to be sure he has space to make plays. His touches were productive and his lateral movement with the puck was tough to defend. He passes well and his vision is excellent. Size didn’t limit and he should grow. He will be fun to watch at Rivers next season. Grade: B+
Mass Festival ’00, ’01, ’02 Notables, May 2017: Graf was one of the smallest players at this tournament so he had to be on top of his game to be effective. Truth be told, there were many instances where he struggled against bigger, skilled players, but he was effective at creating offense as he got deeper into the games. There was a chuckle from the crowd as he yelled “Finally!” after his first goal on Sunday. Not much has changed about Graf’s game since we last saw him: he sees the ice really well and is an excellent set-up man. He is particularly smart not to back himself into a corner physically: he gets the puck, moves it along and gets rid of it to a teammate or for a shot on net. He will continue to maintain his current footing because of those offensive skills but some additional strength would be an asset. Grade: B
His edges have always been something that stands out. He can stay with anyone on the forecheck as he hunts pucks and also ride his blades to the net without losing speed. Fast twitch player who has grown some and not lost a step. He is really interesting and one of the more underrated players in the New England area. -Brian Murphy
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images