Collin Graf is forcing his way back\u2026into the San Jose Sharks locker room?<\/p>\n
Because of the size of the training camp roster, Graf has been dressing with the non-NHL Sharks players, like Michael Misa and Sam Dickinson, who haven\u2019t sewn up an opening night roster spot yet.<\/p>\n
But Graf, who\u2019s got 40 NHL games on his resume, is playing more like a veteran than a rookie in camp. He\u2019s on track to break camp with the Sharks.<\/p>\n
This is significant, considering the 23-year-old is still waiver-exempt. The 6-foot-1 winger is probably going to push a vet out from the 23-man opening night roster.<\/p>\n
San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky reported that Graf has excelled in camp, and he\u2019s backed that up by keeping Graf on NHL-caliber lines this fall.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could arguably say he\u2019s definitely elevated himself among those [roster bubble] guys,\u201d Warsofsky said. \u201cHas picked up our penalty kill, which we obviously need some guys to step up in that role. He understands what it takes to do that. That\u2019s where he\u2019s going to start, it\u2019ll be a guy probably first over the boards on our penalty kill.\u201d<\/p>\n
Will Collin Graf make the opening week roster? He has a fan in Warsofsky, who said, “What I like is he just does his thing. \u2026 He’s not on Instagram, telling people he worked out at 5:30 in the morning. I like guys like that.”<\/p>\n
\u2014 Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) October 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Graf had five goals and 11 points in 33 games with the San Jose Sharks last year. He was also a San Jose Barracuda star, putting up eight goals and 35 points in just 40 AHL appearances.<\/p>\n \u201cWe believe there\u2019s more offense. He showed it in college,\u201d Warsofsky said of Graf, signed out of Quinnipiac as a sought-after college free agent in Apr. 2024. \u201cIt\u2019s coming.\u201d<\/p>\n But it\u2019s the details of Graf\u2019s game that\u2019s making him feel like a lock for the Oct. 9 season opener.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom a coach\u2019s standpoint, the trust, that\u2019s what kept him here last year,\u201d Warsofsky said. \u201cThis trust, at the end of the day, we\u2019re going to put the guys that we trust the most on the ice, and I\u2019d say Graffer is right up there with all of them.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s truly meaningful praise from an NHL head coach, especially for a young forward.<\/p>\n That said, Graf has a lot to improve, and it\u2019s not just about the offense.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s times where he can track [defensively] a little bit more,\u201d Warsofsky said.<\/p>\n This will help Graf match up defensively one day against the opposition\u2019s top lines, which the San Jose Sharks hope is his ceiling. Could Graf become a playoff-caliber two-way middle-six winger?<\/p>\n Graf has already gotten better this off-season, looking faster.<\/p>\n \u201cI do feel a little bit quicker. It\u2019s also just me putting a focus on skating faster. Not trying to slow the game down all the time, trying to drive play, and just move more,\u201d Graf said. \u201cI\u2019m staying in motion. If you are already moving, it\u2019s easier to get to top speed a little bit faster.\u201d<\/p>\n Graf and Warsofsky also believe that he\u2019s gotten stronger along the boards, a make-or-break area for a winger\u2019s future in the NHL.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been winning a good amount of battles, I\u2019d say, all over the ice, just keeping pucks alive, stuff like that,\u201d Graf said. \u201cTrying to have a good stick and basically create more time for our team with the puck.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe board play is gonna be big, right? If we\u2019re gonna play him late in games, got to win pucks in the walls. He\u2019s gotta make the next play,\u201d Warsofsky said. \u201cHe\u2019s come a long way from when we signed him, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s not a long way for Graf to become a bona fide NHL player. First step this season, break camp with the San Jose Sharks.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I\u2019ve made a good case for myself,\u201d Graf said.<\/p>\n San Jose Sharks (1-3-0)<\/p>\n Alex Nedeljkovic will start.<\/p>\n #SJSharks<\/a> game group lines:<\/p>\n Musty-Misa-Smith Mukhamadullin-Liljegren \u2014 Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n #SJSharks<\/a> power play groups\u2026<\/p>\n PP1: Dickinson-Misa-Smith-Lund-Musty \u2014 Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Vegas Golden Knights (3-3-0)<\/p>\n Lines at morning skate before the final (thank God) preseason game of the year. <\/p>\n Barbashev-Eichel-Marner McNabb-Theodore Hill \u2014 SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) October 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Where To Watch<\/p>\n Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights at 7 PM PT at T-Mobile Arena. Watch it live on San Jose Sharks digital platforms. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.<\/p>\n On October 3rd, he asked me what day it was\u2026 it\u2019s GAMEDAY!<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccd: T-Mobile Arena \u2014 San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) October 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Graf-Dellandrea-Lund
Regenda-Ostapchuk-Cardwell
Grundstrom-Bowers-Afanasyev<\/p>\n
Dickinson-Desharnais
Cagnoni-Thompson<\/p>\n
PP2: Cagnoni-Cardwell-Regenda-Graf-Afanasyev<\/p>\n
Smith-Karlsson-Stone
Saad-Hertl-Holtz
Howden-Sissons-Kolesar<\/p>\n
Hanifin-Whitecloud
Lauzon-Korczak<\/p>\n
Schmid<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udcfa: Fans in the San Jose local TV market can watch on https:\/\/t.co\/La2Bog8Z8D<\/a> or in the Sharks + SAPC app.
\ud83c\udf99\ufe0f: @SharksAudioNet<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/GqR8aIJUNS<\/a><\/p>\n