Great expectations for teenage star Graham
AARON FOX says Sheffield Steelers’ youngster Alex Graham has a “very high ceiling” in terms of how far he can go in the game.
The 17-year-old has flourished during the first 12 months of his two-year apprenticeship at the Elite League club, following in the footsteps of NHL Draft pick Liam Kirk, as well as three other youngsters in the shape of Cole Shudra, Kieran Brown and Jordan Griffin.
To aid his development, Graham played the majority of the season in the new NIHL National league with neighbouring Sheffield Steeldogs, part of a new working relationship between the Steel City’s two clubs.
The forward certainly caught the eye, both in terms of his performances in the second tier and during practice sessions with the Steelers under the watchful eye of head coach Fox.
He ended the 2019-20 campaign as third-highest points scorer with the Steeldogs, posting 52 points, including 21 goals in just 40 appearances.
He even weighed in with his first Steelers goal towards the end of the season when scoring in the 8-2 defeat of Fife Flyers at the end of February.
Throw into the mix him ending January’s IIHF World Division 2A Under-20 Championships as Great Britain’s second top points scorer – when he also turned 17 – it is no surprise there are now great expectations around the former Bradford Bulldogs’ junior, with Fox included.
“He’s an interesting kid,” said Fox. “When I’d go down and watch him with the Steeldogs I was never overly-impressed because I felt like he played a lazy game.
“But then when he came up and played for us, he played a faster game, but still played with an edge, it didn’t matter how old he was, he was still willing to go to where it hurts.
“He’s so smart, he makes good decisions, makes good reads and he’s one of those kids that the puck just finds, it’s almost like it is attracted to him, there are just players out there like that.
“He’s got a very, very high ceiling.
“I think he lacks some skating, he lacks some strength and those are two things he’s got to improve but, for him – at his age – there is a ton of potential there.
“His offensive skills are through the roof and his hockey sense is very, very good.”