Confirmed Signing with Link: [SJS] F Collin Graf signs ELC with the Sharks (3 years, $941.667 AAV)

[SI90]

The only guy I’ve wanted the isles to sign out of college the last 2 years. SJ he will get plenty of chances to be an impactful player. Good for him

 

[Michael Farkas]

Should be a 3 year ELC due to Graf's age; Unfortunately for him, he missed the cutoff by six days to get a 2 year ELC.

He's gonna want as many guaranteed years as he can get from an NHL team...

 

[Petes2424]

Can’t blame a guy for taking the guarantee, and the chance to make the most money, in the shortest amount of time. Especially when so many of these higher scoring UFAs don’t work out. Take Dylan Wendt for example. Hearing teams were telling him to return to college, or only prepared to give him an AHL ATO, but he’s gonna sign with New Jersey it looks like, because they’re offering an NHL contract.

So many of these guys are still a crapshoot. The ones who do end up with solid NHL careers, are usually your bottom six types, who over score in the NCAA, but play the game, much more in a bottom six way. The high scorers, who don’t do much else at this level, usually flame out. Pretty much every time.

The difference between the NHL and college or Junior, is much further apart than most fans understand.

 

[Jacob]

I'd be curious to see a comparison of how NCAA free agents who sign with bottom feeders vs competitive teams pan out.

It seems like the better ones always tend to sign with bad teams, because they can guarantee an NHL spot right away, which burns a year of their ELC, thus getting them to free agency sooner. A lot of them start in the NHL then go right back to the AHL the next season.

The Penguins, as an example, have had decent success with college FAs like Megna, Lovejoy, Sheary, Letestu, Rowney, but none of these guys were very highly sought after as free agents. In fact, most of them got AHL-only deals and had to earn NHL contracts.

 

[Brodeur]

He's gonna want as many guaranteed years as he can get from an NHL team...

The contract length isn't negotiable, whether or not it got registered this season was the main thing Graf / his agent could demand aside from his bonus packages. If guys want to bet on themselves, they'd want to get out of the ELC as quickly as possible.

For North American (trained) signing their first contract with some examples of recent NCAA/CHL undrafted free agents:

20-21 years old: 3 year ELC [September 16, 2002 - December 31, 2003] - Collin Graf (September 21, 2002), Mikael Diotte (April 10, 2003), Gabriel Szturc (September 24, 2003)

22-23 years old: 2 year ELC [September 16, 2000 - September 15, 2002] - Luke Krys (September 27, 2000), Victor Ostman (October 3, 2000), Cooper Black (June 14, 2001), Jacob Quillan (February 2, 2002)

24 years old: 1 year ELC [September 16, 1999 - September 15, 2000] - Jaxon Nelson (March 30, 2000), Drew Bavaro (June 10, 2000)

25+ years old: no ELC restrictions [born before September 15, 1999] - Sam Morton (July 28, 1999) - this was the funny case where Calgary and Morton's agent kinda messed up as he was too old to get an ELC. In the end it wasn't a big deal and they just gave him a regular one year, two way contract.

 

[TheBeard]

The difference between the NHL and college or Junior, is much further apart than most fans understand.

I think college is much closer to the NHL than it is to Junior.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I think college is much closer to the NHL than it is to Junior.

By a long shot.

 

[chethejet]

Wanted him as a Pens fan as a player who added to the system as Pens need to add as much as they can.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Didn’t see that coming.

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

Grier has proved myself and others so wrong with how fast he's been able to acquire cap space, picks, and now prospects. Obviously this is only a college free agent, but he continues to add promising young talent

Next big thing is the draft lottery.

I thought the next step in the right direction is getting rid of David Quinn

 

[WarriorofTime]

Huge win for Grier and the lads. If they win the Celebrini lotto, this kid may get a shot on his wing.

 

[Michael Farkas]

The contract length isn't negotiable

Oh yeah, believe me, I'm aware. I was being tongue-in-cheek about his lack of appeal to me as an NHL player versus the amount of hype that's around him haha

 

[The Crypto Guy]

That would be a steal considering what we paid to acquire him.

Absolutely, not denying that at all. Free prospect is still a free prospect.

 

[GatorMike]

Not surprised.

Before he was named Sharks GM, Mike Grier used to work with a skating coach in the Boston area that counted Will Smith, Henry Thrun, and Collin Graf among her clients.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

I thought the next step in the right direction is getting rid of David Quinn

He's gotta secure us another top 3 pick next year first

 

[Patty Ice]

I wonder if their career might be longer if brought along by a competent org

Like one that has participated in the majority of the playoffs this century. It's understood that they are under new management but they are current in their downswing of many successful years as every team is subject to the ebbs and flows of NHL success. Grier was brought into a rough situation but has made shrewd moves to build a bright looking future (getting Celebrini would make it a whole lot brighter). I think it's a bit unfair to label the organization incompetent given those factors.

 

[Rude Dog]

makes sense

 

[crowi]

Would've picked SJS as well if I was Graf. He has a good chance of getting a real shot at making millions, especially if SJS gets Celebrini.

 

[Evergreen]

Nice get for SJ. Was hoping the Flyers could nab him.

 

[EXTRAS]

Smart move by him. Chicago would have probably been smarter, but this ain't bad either.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I thought the next step in the right direction is getting rid of David Quinn

After next year. Quinn’s system sucks and I don’t want him around when we’re trying to actually win hockey games, but he’s actually been pretty good with the players and hasn’t been nearly as bad with young guys as his rep. Granted the only really worthwhile rookie type we have is Eklund who is gonna succeed no matter who his coach is, but in terms of handling personnel, I have no gripes with DQ except his irrational love of Luke Kunin. And frankly, every NHL coach has their beloved pet physical bottom-6 winger, so it is what it is. He’s handled Zetterlund, Bordeleau, and Thrun well, and helped guys like Duclair and Granlund rebuild value.

Coming back to Graf, I think it’s a great sign for the Sharks that a guy like him chose us, and it’s cool to see Grier leveraging his connections.

 

[Hire Sather]

Looks like he wanted to be handed a spot in the NHL

 

[TheBeard]

Smart move by him. Chicago would have probably been smarter, but this ain't bad either.

Outside of Bedard the Chicago farm system sort of sucks.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Nawh

 

[Internazionale]

1st round level talent chooses us over a sleau of other teams? Well done Mikey. Safe to say we have the best prospect pool in the league minus our 2 firsts this year and next??