Collin Graf Could Be Big Piece of Sharks Future – Hockey Writers – San Jose Sharks

It’s probably too early to say that San Jose Sharks forward Collin Graf is one of the NHL’s most underrated players, but it’s fair to say that his value to the team is greatly underestimated throughout the league. Although his name has been floated in some trade rumors, he plays a much bigger role for the Sharks than those trade proposals suggest. San Jose should avoid almost any consideration of moving him — and in doing so, they’ll confirm his underdog status and how important he is to them as they try to make the playoffs.

Graf Holds Big Shark Value

Graf joined the Sharks late in the 2023-24 season as an undrafted free agent and has gradually taken on more responsibility since then. Splitting the 2024-25 season between the NHL and the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League, he proved to be an important contributor to both teams, but also that he was ready to take on a bigger role.

This season was his first full game for the Sharks, and he made the most of the opportunity. After scoring a nearly 10-goal, 25-point pace in those first two-and-a-half seasons, he managed 21 goals and 46 points in his 2025-26 effort. He was playing with many of his teammates but he looked comfortable no matter where he was in the lineup.

His high shooting percentages suggest that his offense may bounce back, but his offense isn’t even the best part of his game. He has emerged as the Sharks’ leading penalty taker, using intelligence and effort to position himself, break up passes from opposition plays and rush upfield to score points. San Jose’s stout defense meant that their penalty kill only finished 26th in the NHL, but as they continue to build their short unit, Graf ranks them first.

Graf’s role for next season is still to be determined, as his offense will depend on how much penalty killing he has to do. But whatever that role ends up being, the Sharks will be counting on him to perform well to succeed as a team.

Sharks Can’t Graph Multiple Trades

As a young, versatile forward with contract flexibility, Graf’s name has been thrown around by a number of speculative trade proposals online. Many of these see the Sharks trading Graf for a defenseman, such as Jeff Marek’s suggestion on the Daily Faceoff that they could send him to the Edmonton Oilers for Darnell Nurse.

The truth is, this trade doesn’t make a lot of sense. Graf is too valuable to be traded to a single green man who will eat up a lot of the Sharks salary cap. The only situation where San Jose should look to trade him would be in an absolute blockbuster where they land a superstar. Right now, they should be more focused on exploring his contract extension. He is a stable, intelligent player who always makes the right decisions. The Sharks need players with that kind of skill, which could be around for years, and Graf should do it for them instead of other teams.

The graph can continue to stabilize

Graf’s seemingly underappreciated status across the league has several possible explanations. Maybe it’s because he spent four years in college and went undrafted, or because he spent his NHL career on a team that hasn’t really mattered since he arrived. If he continues or improves on his current level and the Sharks improve with him, the league will start to take notice. If the Sharks develop into the contender he believes they can be, he and his teammates will get the attention and respect they deserve.