Devils Acquire Defenseman Ryan Graves from Colorado I RELEASE – NHL.com

Newark, NJ – The New Jersey Devils today acquired defenseman Ryan Graves from Colorado in exchange for forward Mikhail Maltsev and New Jersey’s second-round pick (#61, previously acquired from NY Islanders) in the 2021 NHL Draft. The 6’5″, 220lb. blueliner has two years left on his contract with an average-annual value of $3,166,667.

“Ryan brings physicality, size, an ability to defend in tough situations and a fearless compete level that makes him tough to play against,” said New Jersey Devils Executive Vice President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald. “His assertive style of play and ability to play with young defensemen are characteristics that fit into what we are building with our group.”

Graves, 26, scored two goals and 13 assists for 15 points with 55 penalty minutes in 54 games with the Avalanche last season, and posted one goal and five assists for six points in 10 games during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He led the club in short-handed time on ice per game (3:18), penalty minutes (55), blocked shots (91) and second in hits (77). Graves’ short-handed time on ice per game ranked third in the League and his penalty minutes total ranked 14^th.

In 136 career NHL games in three seasons, all with Colorado, he has scored 14 goals and 32 assists for 46 points. He also accumulated 102 penalty minutes and a plus-59 rating. Over the past two seasons, he ranks 11^th in short-handed time on ice per game. In 2019-20, he led the NHL in plus/minus at +40, also ranking tops in the League over the past two years (+55) and sixth in the past three years (+59). In 25 Stanley Cup Playoff games he’s added two goals, seven assists with 16 penalty minutes and a +14 rating.

Before becoming an NHL regular, Graves played parts of four seasons in the American Hockey League with Hartford, San Antonio and Colorado. In 260 career AHL regular-season games, he scored 24 goals and 53 assists for 77 points with 221 penalty minutes and was an AHL All-Star in 2016.

Born May 21, 1995, the native of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, was the NY Rangers’ fourth-round selection, 110^th overall choice in the 2013 NHL Draft. Graves won the Memorial Cup with Quebec in 2015.

Maltsev scored six goals and three assists for nine points and four penalty minutes in 33 NHL contests with New Jersey this season. He was selected by New Jersey in the fourth round, 102^nd overall, in the 2016 NHL Draft.