sa国际传媒 Rockets forward Max Graham is entering his final season in the Western Hockey League and his confidence is at an all-time high.
The 20-year-old power forward posted career highs last year, with 20 goals and 42 points in 67 regular season games while chipping in with eight points in 11 playoff games. Graham was then selected with the 139th pick in the fifth round by the New Jersey Devils in the 2024 NHL Draft this past June.
“That was awesome,” Graham told ahead of the final day of Rockets training camp. “It had been kind of a long process not getting picked in the WHL Draft, not getting picked in the NHL Draft when I was 17 or 18 and just kind of keep trucking along and to finally hear the name get called and be lucky enough to go to a team like the Devils, it was an unreal feeling. Something I can’t even really put into words.
鈥淚tsa国际传媒 definitely nice to have that little feather in your cap and know theresa国际传媒 a team out there that believes in how you play but theresa国际传媒 still so much work left to be done. It almost makes you look forward to the future even more.鈥
While Graham posted those career highs on the stat sheet, he said he really started to find his groove near the end of the season. Hesa国际传媒 looking to carry that over into both Rockets and Devils training camp as well as the remainder of the season.
鈥淚t was kind of a slow start to the year but as we went through the year, I kind of found my identity and the way that I need to play to be successful,鈥 Graham said.
鈥淭hatsa国际传媒 being a 200-foot power forward that gets in on the forecheck, creates space, and gets to the net. I think the last maybe, 20, 30 games of the season, I had really honed in on it, and everything started clicking.
鈥淲hen it started to click I felt good and I was able to bring that into playoffs as well. I鈥檝e kind of found my play style, my identity and I just want to keep building off of that.
鈥淚鈥檓 feeling really confident and knowing that you don鈥檛 have to put up crazy numbers to be valuable to your team is nice. Of course this year I鈥檓 coming in and I鈥檓 going to want to be putting up more points than last year. Theresa国际传媒 no question about that.
鈥淏ut just knowing that even when I鈥檓 not putting up points, I鈥檓 a player that can still be valuable. Whether itsa国际传媒 bringing the physical side to the game, sticking up for teammates, or just creating space for other players, itsa国际传媒 kind of nice and it does give you a lot of confidence when you go out there.
鈥淔or me itsa国际传媒, obviously the points are nice, and as you get to be an older guy in the league, you need to be able to put up points, but to still be confident in your abilities if you鈥檙e not putting up points, I know I鈥檓 still valuable so thatsa国际传媒 a nice feeling.鈥
Graham will make his way to New Jersey for Devils training camp in the coming days, his first in the NHL. The six-foot-three forward said hesa国际传媒 just going to go try and show his best in front of the New Jersey brass.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 really have too many expectations going in. Being聽 a 20-year-old that was just drafted the past year, you鈥檙e kind of a wild card, you don鈥檛 really know whatsa国际传媒 going to happen鈥 he said. But, I mean, of course I want to go in there and I want to show the way I can play.鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 just going to kind of let the cards fall into place and see where everything plays out. Obviously it would be nice to be able to go there and impress them. Maybe get to play in a preseason game, get to go down to Utica for a little bit, play there, or who knows, maybe even be able to sign a contract. If that could happen, I鈥檇 be super pumped about that. If I come back to sa国际传媒, I鈥檒l be just as happy. We鈥檝e got an unreal team this year, and I think it would be a real special group to be a part of. So, either way, I鈥檒l be happy.鈥
Should Graham return to the Rockets, he will be looked to as one of the leaders of this yearsa国际传媒 group, having worn a letter on his jersey for the past two seasons.
鈥淲e鈥檝e lost some leaders in (Dylan) Wightman and (Gabriel) Szturc so someone is going to have to step up and fill their shoes,鈥 Graham said. 鈥淚tsa国际传媒 not going to be all me. Theresa国际传媒 tons of guys in this room that are going to be taking a step in leadership compared to last year.鈥
鈥淚tsa国际传媒 something that I鈥檒l definitely have to focus on being an older guy. I know how it was being a younger guy and leadership is a huge part of junior, especially with such difference. Just try to focus on playing on the ice, but also off ice, be being a good leader and kind of taking some of the younger guys under my wing and helping them all that sense. It would be something I look forward to do.鈥
sa国际传媒 will kick off the 2024-25 preseason on the road against the Kamloops Blazers at the Sandman Centre on Friday, Sept. 6.
Fans will get their first chance to see the Rockets when they host the Blazers the next night on Sept. 7.
The Rockets will then wrap up their preseason schedule with a home-and-home with the Vancouver Giants. The Rockets will host Vancouver on Saturday, Sept. 14 before travelling to Ladner to wrap up the preseason against the Giants on Sunday, Sept. 15.
sa国际传媒 will open the regular season on Saturday, Sept. 21 against the Portland Winterhawks at Prospera Place.
Tickets can be purchased online through , at the Prospera Place box office, or by phone at 250-762-5050.
sa国际传媒 Rockets Training Camp is presented by sa国际传媒 Sand & Gravel
Coming off career highs in goals and points, sa国际传媒 Rockets forward Max Graham is confident entering his final season in the Western Hockey League.
