The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defenceman Jacob Graves to a three-year entry-level contract. The signing comes as a two-way deal with NHL and AHL options, according to the Blue Jackets’ website.
Graves, 21, was an integral part of the London Knights blue line down the stretch last season recording one goal and six points in 31 regular season games with London. He had 45 penalty minutes and a plus-21 rating to go along with that in a Knights jersey.
Congrats to #OHL @GoLondonKnights grad @JacobGraves20 for signing ELC with @BlueJacketsNHL: https://t.co/ueW3ARckep pic.twitter.com/U8pVSpf1hz
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) July 6, 2016
Splitting the season between the Oshawa Generals and London, Graves collected career highs in assists (20), points (21) and games played (69) during the regular season. With 104 penalty minutes and a plus-34 rating, he finished fourth among OHL defencemen in penalty minutes and tied for fifth in plus-minus respectively.
While he’s not the most offensively gifted blueliner, he did help the Knights with 10 assists in 18 playoff games on their way to the OHL Championship – adding a Memorial Cup to his resume not long after.
He played for London, Oshawa, the Kingston Frontenacs and Mississauga Steelheads over the past five seasons. Over that time he collected 42 points (3g-39a) and 452 penalty minutes in 281 OHL games.
The news of Graves’ signing comes in the same week that the Blue Jackets brought on former Knights’ general manager Basil McRae as director of player personnel.
