Graham Black
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Birthday:
1993-01-13 |
Position:
C |
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Eligible for draft:
2012 |
Shoots:
Left |
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Drafted:
2012 |
Height:
6-0 |
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Acquired:
5th round (135th overall), 2012 |
Weight:
173 lbs. |
Prospect Talent Score
Probability of Success
- C
History
2009-10: Black skated for the Regina Pat Canadians midget AAA team in Saskatchewan and was the team's second-leading scorer. In 42 games he scored 22 goals with 27 assists and had 40 penalty minutes. Regina finished ninth in the 12-team league; missing the SMHL playoffs.
2010-11: Black appeared in six games with Swift Current after the Broncos acquired his WHL rights from the Edmonton Oil Kings in December. Black was an assistant captain and the league's leading scorer for the SMHL's Regina Pat Canadians prior to joining Swift Current. In six games with the Broncos he scored 1 goal with 1 assist and was minus-four. The Broncos missed the playoffs; finishing with the WHL's second-worst record. Playiing for the Pat Canadians, Graham scored a league-high 47 goals and led the SMHL with 76 points in 43 games. Regina finished fifth in the SMHL; falling to the Notre Dame Argos in the playoffs. Black scored 7 goals with 3 assists in the five-game series.
2011-12: Black emerged as a strong two-way forward in his first full WHL season with Swift Current. Playing on a Broncos team that showed improvement (fifth in the six-team East Division) but missed the playoffs, Black was plus-three (the second-best mark on the team). He scored 17 goals with 33 assists and had 49 penalty minutes in 71 games. The modest numbers were fourth-best on a team that struggled to score. In his second year of draft eligibility, Black was ranked 83rd amongst North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings prior to the 2012 NHL Draft and was selected by New Jersey in the fifth round (135th overall).
Talent Analysis
Black isn't a flashy player, but in his first full WHL season, he showed the ability to contribute in all facets of the game with his on-ice smarts and tenacious two-way play. He's an above-average skater with good vision, passing skills, and a sneaky shot release. However it's Black’s play away from the puck that really stands out. He works tremendously hard in the defensive zone, and is a keen and responsible checker. He excels in the face-off circle and shows a lot of grit and determination when it comes to helping out his team at the other end of the rink.
Future
The development curve Black is on quite the upswing considering how well he played as a first year junior player. He's going to have to fill out in order to help maximize his full potential but the talent and skills are there to emerge into a fine two-way, third-line center. He’ll be back in Swift Current for his second full season with the Broncos this fall.
