Penguins Just Miss on Top College Free Agent
The Pittsburgh Penguins were among the final teams in the running for hockey's top college free agent.
PITTSBURGH – Under the direction of Kyle Dubas, the Pittsburgh Penguins have made it a mission to vastly improve their prospect pool. When Dubas arrived, the Penguins had a pipeline that ranked near the worst in the NHL.
While it will take some time to grow into one of the league's formidable groups, the Penguins were close to snagging one of the top college prospects available. Quinnipiac forward Collin Graf was one of the most sought-after college free agents, with upwards of 26 teams expressing interest.
Graf narrowed his list to six teams before ultimately signing a three-year entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks. According to Pierre LeBrun on TSN’s Insider Trading, the Penguins were among the finalists.
“It came down to six teams,” LeBrun said. “The Wild, the Penguins, and the Avalanche among those six teams.”
Adding Graf would have provided a huge jump for the Penguins prospect pool. Not only would Graf have boosted the pipeline, but he fits the exact mold of what Dubas is looking for.
Dubas has been looking for prospects who are still young but can also earn NHL roles as soon as next year. At 21 years old, Graf could be ready for the NHL as soon as next year. He’ll have plenty of chances with the Sharks, but the Penguins missed out on a solid forward.
In 34 games with Quinnipiac this year, Graf scored 22 goals and 27 assists for 49 total points. His goal and point totals led Quinnipiac as they made it to the second round of the 2024 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship.
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