The news ratched up quickly after Quinnipiac University lost to Boston College during the NCAA hockey tournament.
During their addition of insider trading, Johnston along with colleague Pierre LeBrun also of The Athletic feels that Graf is one of the jewels of this unrestricted free agent class that has presented many NHL teams including the New York Rangers.
General manager Chris Drury is always looking out to improve his team and is not shy in signing players from the NCAA.
The 21-year-old sophomore had a solid season of production for the Bobcats as he had played 34 games, scored 22 goals with 27 assists with 49 points. He had four penalty minutes but was a + 24.
With his kind of numbers and his kind of play, the Rangers will absolutely have interest in Collin Graf as the team would like to continue to bolster its youth and development as they hold several great players in their junior ranks including Boston College Gabe Perreault and Andrew Fortescue who both played against Graf and helped knock him out of the tournament just a few days ago.
The NCAA has become a hotbed for NHL teams in the last number of years looking for players who will help them improve their brand and give them depth without sacrificing a draft pick or player on their roster.
Players like Graf, and the continued development of the NCAA which are attracting players from Canada, it's widely expected that this organization will grow as well.
POLL | ||
AVRIL 3 | 55 ANSWERS NCAA free agent Collin Graf decision imminent Will the Rangers sign Collin Graff of the NCAA? | ||
Yes | 31 | 56.4 % |
No | 24 | 43.6 % |
List of polls |