Collin Graf Bio
Collin Graf (born September 21, 2002) is an American professional ice hockey player who plays as a right winger for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He entered the NHL as an undrafted free agent after a decorated college career at Union College and Quinnipiac University. Graf signed with the Sharks in April 2024 and is in the early stages of his professional career. Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing around 190 pounds, he is known for his offensive creativity and playmaking ability.
Early Life and Background
Collin Graf was born on September 21, 2002, in Lincoln, Massachusetts, a small town located west of Boston. He was raised by his parents, Robert and Theresa Graf, both of whom work as engineers. He grew up alongside a younger brother, Justin Graf, who has also pursued competitive hockey and plays for the Cedar Rapids RoughRidgers, continuing the family’s involvement in the sport.
Graf first learned to skate at the request of his mother, who signed him up for lessons as a young child. During those early sessions, he became fascinated by watching hockey players train and compete, and that exposure sparked his desire to pursue the sport himself. As he developed, Graf played youth hockey with the Assabet Valley Patriots, an organization now known as the Patriot Hockey Club, where he built the foundational skills that would carry him into higher levels of competition.
Growing up in the New England region gave Graf easy access to a strong hockey culture, and he progressed through local programs before reaching the junior and collegiate ranks. His combination of skating, vision, and offensive instinct stood out early, setting the stage for a transition to college hockey.
Path to Hockey
Graf’s progression through the youth ranks in Massachusetts prepared him for a collegiate career in the ECAC Hockey conference. He committed to Union College, a Division I program in Schenectady, New York, and joined the Dutchmen for the 2021–22 season. During his freshman year, he posted 11 goals and 11 assists across 37 games, demonstrating that he could produce offensively at the college level right away.
Following that promising first season, Graf decided to transfer to Quinnipiac University, a program in Hamden, Connecticut, with a strong recent track record of developing professional talent. The move allowed him to take on a larger role and showcase his skills against top-tier ECAC competition. His development accelerated quickly, and he soon established himself as one of the conference’s most dynamic forwards.
Collin Graf Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
Graf began his collegiate career with Union College during the 2021–22 season, serving as a freshman forward for the Dutchmen. He appeared in 37 games and produced 22 points with 11 goals and 11 assists, finishing the year as a reliable contributor on a young Union roster. His freshman performance hinted at greater potential and positioned him for a transfer to a stronger program.
After the season, Graf made the decision to move to Quinnipiac University, where he would have a clearer opportunity to play a featured offensive role. The transition marked the start of his rise as one of the most productive players in college hockey.
Quinnipiac University Breakthrough (2022–2024)
Graf joined the Quinnipiac Bobcats ahead of the 2022–23 season and quickly became a centerpiece of the team’s offense. During his sophomore campaign, he led the Bobcats with 20 goals and 38 assists for 58 points in 40 games, finishing the year as one of the top scorers in the ECAC. His 58 points were the most by a Quinnipiac player since Bryan Leitch set the program record of 59 points during the 2008–09 season.
On November 12, 2022, Graf recorded his first collegiate hat trick in a game against Yale, signaling his ability to take over contests. That month he piled up four goals and eight assists, registering points in nine of the team’s 10 games, and was named the Player of the Tournament at the Friendship Four. He followed that by earning ECAC Forward of the Month and HCA Co-National Player of the Month honors, and in December he posted three goals and nine assists while becoming one of only two players in the conference to record double-digit points in a single month. He closed the season as a unanimous All-ECAC First Team selection, an AHCA East First Team All-American, and a top-ten finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.
In his junior year, 2023–24, Graf continued to dominate. He led the Bobcats in goals and points with 14 goals and 19 assists in 20 conference games, a 1.65 points-per-game average that ranked among the best in the conference. He was once again a unanimous All-ECAC First Team selection and was named ECAC Hockey Player of the Year. He finished his three-year collegiate career with 54 goals and 76 assists in 112 games, a totals line that reflected steady, high-level production.
San Jose Sharks Era (2024–Present)
On April 4, 2024, Graf signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League, formally beginning his professional career. He made his NHL debut two days later, appearing in a 3–2 overtime victory over the St. Louis Blues and immediately becoming part of the Sharks’ forward group.
Graf recorded his first NHL point in his second game, on April 7, when he assisted on a goal by Luke Kunin during a 5–2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes. The quick production offered an early sign that his college-level play could translate to the NHL. Going into 2025, Graf remains under contract with San Jose through 2027, giving the organization time to develop him into a long-term contributor.
Driving Style and Strengths
Graf is best known for his offensive creativity, strong playmaking vision, and ability to generate chances from the right wing. He combines above-average skating with the patience and puck skills needed to set up linemates, and his college production profile points to a player comfortable as both a scorer and a distributor. His shot and finishing touch developed over three productive college seasons, while his assist totals reflect a natural feel for the game and an ability to read the ice at speed.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Graf’s signature moments, his first collegiate hat trick against Yale on November 12, 2022, stands out as a turning point in his Quinnipiac career. He was also named Player of the Tournament at the Friendship Four that same season, an honor reserved for the event’s top performer. He closed his college career as a two-time unanimous All-ECAC First Team selection, an AHCA East First Team All-American, and a Hobey Baker Award top-ten finalist, all of which underscore his standing as one of the top college players of his class.
Collin Graf Career Wins
While Collin Graf’s professional career is still in its early stages, his decorated college resume and quick NHL debut suggest a player capable of producing at every level. He reached the NHL without being drafted, a path that has become increasingly common in modern hockey, and he has already recorded his first NHL point with the Sharks.
Quinnipiac University Highlights
Graf’s two seasons at Quinnipiac produced some of the most productive years in recent program history. He tallied 20 goals and 38 assists for 58 points in 2022–23, the highest single-season total by a Bobcats player in more than a decade, and he followed that with 14 goals and 19 assists in 20 conference games during 2023–24. He was twice named a unanimous All-ECAC First Team selection and won ECAC Hockey Player of the Year in his junior campaign, while also earning AHCA East First Team All-American honors and a Hobey Baker Award top-ten finalist nod.
Other Wins and Performances
Before college, Graf played youth hockey for the Assabet Valley Patriots, now known as the Patriot Hockey Club, where he developed his foundational skills. At Union College, he produced 11 goals and 11 assists in 37 games during the 2021–22 season, a strong start that earned him a transfer to a more prominent program. Across 112 career college games, he totaled 54 goals and 76 assists, a combined 130 points.
Collin Graf Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Collin Graf comes from an accomplished New England family with strong academic and athletic ties. His parents, Robert and Theresa Graf, both work as engineers, and they have supported his hockey development from a young age. His mother, Theresa, was the one who first signed him up for skating lessons, an early decision that set the course for his career.
Graf also has a younger brother, Justin Graf, who has continued the family’s involvement in hockey and plays for the Cedar Rapids RoughRidgers. The brothers’ shared commitment to the sport has created a strong family connection through competition.
Personal Life
Graf was raised in Lincoln, Massachusetts, and spent much of his early life immersed in the region’s hockey community. He played youth hockey locally before moving on to Union College and then Quinnipiac University for his college career. After completing his junior season, he signed with the San Jose Sharks and relocated to the Bay Area to begin his NHL career.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Collin Graf is in the early phase of his entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks, a deal that runs through the 2026–27 season. The Sharks, who have been in a rebuilding phase, are expected to give young forwards like Graf meaningful opportunities to contribute and develop at the NHL level. His offensive skill set, built through two standout seasons at Quinnipiac, gives him a clear path to earning a regular role in the lineup.
Graf’s first taste of NHL action came at the end of the 2023–24 season, when he debuted against the St. Louis Blues and recorded his first point against the Arizona Coyotes. Those brief appearances offered a glimpse of how his college game could translate, and they set the stage for a more substantial role once the 2024–25 season began. As a right winger, he projects as a playmaking forward who can drive offensive zone play and create chances for linemates.
Long term, Graf’s combination of collegiate production, two-way responsibility, and NHL entry under a multi-year deal positions him as a prospect worth monitoring. With the Sharks continuing to invest in young talent, the 2025 season is likely to serve as a key development year in determining whether Graf can establish himself as a long-term NHL contributor.
