New York Selects D Jesse Graham/Jake Bischoff

New York has selected D Jesse Graham with the 155th selection in the 2012 NHL Draft.
Niagara IceDogs Profile
Niagaraadvance.ca 6/21/12

Picked the best skater in the OHL Eastern Conference coaches poll, the Toronto native often effortlessly gets the puck out to the Niagara IceDogs blue-line, then shifts into another gear to move into the opposition’s end.

The 18-year-old Toronto native is ranked 125th heading into this weekend’s NHL draft in Pittsburgh, but there has never been any talk of him moving to a forward position because of his 5-foot-11, 160-pound frame.

“Nothing has ever come up like that,” he said, almost bristling over the telephone line at the thought. “In the NHL right now, there are a lot of smaller defecemen who are good skaters and puck movers, so I think that’s my role and I think I play it pretty well.
 
“My skating definitely is a big part of my game, for sure.”
 “Most teams like my skating ability and my strong play with the puck — I’m a good puck mover,” he said with confidence. “They’d kind of like to see me work on my size and get stronger, just add some muscle to my body.”

“Just talking to the guys on the team, (Ryan) Strome and Oleksiak always gave me advice,” he said. “They told me not to get caught up in it all and just kind of wait for your time — and it’s going to come.”

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New York has selected D Jake Bischoff with the 185th selection in the 2012 NHL Draft.
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