Days after getting a key piece of business done, signing superstar Macklin Celebrini to a five-year contract extension, the San Jose Sharks got some other work completed Friday, re-signing Collin Graf to a three-year contract.

Graf’s new deal will see him earn a $4.25 million annual average value, the Sharks said in a release.

The 23-year-old just finished his first full season in the NHL, scoring 21 goals and 46 points in 81 games. In the two prior years, he totalled five goals and 13 points in 40 games.

“Collin was a big part of our team’s improvement this past season, being an effective penalty killer for us and his versatility in the lineup was extremely valuable,” said Sharks general manager Mike Grier. “His hard working attitude and work ethic is a big reason why his game took another stride last year, and he continues to be an important person in our young group of players. We’re happy we are able to keep him a Shark for the next several seasons.”

Some Edmonton Oilers fans theorized he could be part of a return in a trade to send Darnell Nurse to the Bay Area, before the team picked up defenceman Shakir Mukhamadullin and defensive prospect Zack Sharp in the July 1 trade.

Graf was a restricted free agent without offer sheet eligibility after finishing his entry-level contract, according to PuckPedia, who report his deal will be fully paid in salary. The deal also comes with no movement protection.

Just two days after announcing they had signed former NHL defenceman Cal Foote, the Swedish Hockey League’s (SHL) Färjestad BK announced they would back out of the contract.

The 27-year-old Foote was one of five members of the 2018 Canadian Junior Team who faced sexual assault charges in relation to an incident that occurred in June 2018. All five members, including Foote, Dillon Dubé, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, and Michael McLeod, were all found not guilty by Justice Maria Carroccia in July 2025.

Färjestad BK said in a statement, translated from Swedish to English with Google Translate, the organization reached the decision after hearing from, and speaking to, “supporters, members, partners, leaders, employees, and others who care about Färjestad BK.”

“Many have shared concerns, disappointment, and questions about our decision to sign the player,” the statement continued.

“When we made the decision to sign the player, we did so after a thorough review of the facts and several conversations with people with good insight into the matter. Our overall perception and assessment based on both the history and the person we met differs from the picture that has been presented in recent days. This meant that we made the decision even though we knew that the signing would arouse emotions and different opinions.

“The developments in recent days have made it clear that the situation has reached a scale that affects people in and around our club in a way that we cannot possibly ignore. The conditions to give the team, club or player in question the focus required to carry out their tasks in a good way no longer exist. In that situation, we have a responsibility to act based on the situation that prevails here and now.”

After spending the 2024-25 season playing in Slovakia, Foote spent last season with the Chicago Wolves, the AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, scoring four goals and 18 points. Foote, the son of former NHL player and coach Adam Foote, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning 14th overall in the 2017 draft.

Dubé, 28, spent last season with the AHL’s Springfield Thunder, affiliate of the St. Louis Blues, and signed a one-year contract with the NHL club on July 1. Hart, 27, returned to the NHL last year, signing a two-year, $2 million AAV deal with the Vegas Golden Knights, appearing in 18 regular season games and 22 playoff games enroute to their Stanley Cup final loss to the Hurricanes.

Formenton, 26, has spent three of the last four years playing for the Swiss League’s HC Ambrì-Piotta. In June, the Ottawa Senators cut ties with the player, making him an unrestricted free agent. He doesn’t have a contract to play hockey next season. McLeod, 28, has spent the last two years playing in the KHL, and is signed to play for Avangard Omsk for next year.

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor and The Nation Network’s news director. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.

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