Collin Graf May Be an Integral Piece of the Sharks’ Future

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 is fair to say that his importance to the team is significantly undervalued throughout the league. While his name has been thrown around in certain trade rumors, he plays a much bigger role for the Sharks than those trade proposals suggest. San Jose should avoid almost any consideration of shipping him out — and in doing so, they’ll affirm his underrated status and how vital he’ll be for them as they try to make the playoffs.

Graf Holds Immense Value For Sharks

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

This season was his first full campaign with the Sharks, and he took full advantage of the opportunity. After scoring at roughly a 10-goal, 25-point pace across those first two partial seasons, he managed 21 goals and 46 points in his 2025-26 effort. He played with a range of linemates but looked consistently comfortable no matter where he slotted into the lineup.

His high shooting percentage suggests his offense could take a step back, but his offense isn’t even the best part of his game. He emerged as the Sharks’ best penalty-killing forward, using a mix of intelligence and effort to place himself in the correct spot, break up passes from opposing power plays and hustle to pucks to generate clearances. San Jose’s underwhelming defense meant their penalty kill only finished 26th in the NHL, but as they continue to build up their shorthanded unit, Graf gives them a starting point.

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

Sharks Can’t Afford to Include Graf in Most Trades

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

The truth is, these trades don’t make a lot of sense. Graf is simply too valuable to be traded for a single blueliner who will eat up far more of the Sharks’ salary cap. The only situation in which San Jose should look at trading him would be in an absolute blockbuster in which they land a superstar. Right now, they should be far more focused on exploring a contract extension for him. He’s a steady, smart player who consistently makes the right decisions. The Sharks need players with that type of skillset, which can be sustained for years, and Graf should do it for them rather than some other team.

Graf Can Continue to Establish Himself

Graf’s seemingly undervalued leaguewide status has several possible explanations. Perhaps it’s because he spent four years in college and didn’t get drafted, or because he’s spent his NHL career on a team that hasn’t been particularly relevant since he arrived. If he keeps up or even improves on his current performance and the Sharks improve with him, the league will begin to take notice. If the Sharks grow into the contender they believe they can be, he and his teammates will get the attention and reputation they deserve.