Ryan Graves Bio
Ryan Graves (born May 21, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing about 227 pounds, he is known for his size, mobility, and shot-blocking ability. Selected by the New York Rangers in the fourth round, 110th overall, of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Graves has also spent time in the National Hockey League with the Colorado Avalanche and the New Jersey Devils.
A native of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Graves developed his game in regional minor hockey before moving into the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Over the course of his career, he has been recognized for his defensive reliability, penalty-killing value, and occasional offensive contributions from the blueline.
Early Life and Background
Ryan Graves was born on May 21, 1995, in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, to Ron Graves and Monica Brennan. He grew up as a childhood friend of fellow Nova Scotian Nathan MacKinnon, and the two frequently faced each other in local youth hockey games while also playing together on regional teams. This early rivalry and friendship helped shape Graves’s competitive outlook as a young defenceman.
In his early years, Graves developed a reputation in the Nova Scotia youth hockey circuit for clumsiness, largely due to his comparatively tall frame. Despite this, his strength and shot-blocking ability earned praise from coaches in the Yarmouth County Minor Hockey Association. During the 2010–11 minor ice hockey season, Graves played for the South Shore Canadian Tire Mustangs, where he scored five goals and added seven assists. He was named the team’s top rookie and received the Scott Dee Memorial Award as the best rookie defenceman in the Nova Scotia Major Midget Hockey League. That same year, he also made a single appearance with the Yarmouth Mariners of the Maritime Junior Hockey League.
Path to Hockey
The Prince Edward Island Rocket of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) selected Graves in the first round, ninth overall, of the 2011 QMJHL Entry Draft. As a rookie during the 2011–12 season, he recorded two goals and seven assists for nine points, along with 34 penalty minutes. The Rocket finished last in the league with a 19–43–2–4 record, missing the postseason for the first time in seven years.
Graves later said that he had difficulty adjusting from minor to junior ice hockey as a rookie. By the 2012–13 season, however, he attributed his improved confidence to increased playing time, greater familiarity with the league, and the opportunity to learn from older teammates. He also practiced three times a week with a Newfoundland-based skating coach to address the coordination issues that had followed him since adolescence.
After boosting his offensive production in 2012–13, Graves drew the attention of National Hockey League scouts and was selected in the fourth round, 110th overall, by the New York Rangers in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. The Rocket were rebranded as the Charlottetown Islanders for the 2013–14 season, and Graves registered 12 points in 39 games before being traded to the Val-d’Or Foreurs for their playoff push. In the postseason, he contributed eight points in 24 games to help the Foreurs capture the President’s Cup, and on March 17, 2014, his progress was rewarded when he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Rangers.
Ryan Graves Career
Early Career (2015–2018)
In the 2015–16 season, Graves was assigned to the New York Rangers’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. He made his professional debut on opening night, October 10, 2015, against the St. John’s IceCaps, and thirteen days later he scored his first professional goal in a 4–3 win over the Syracuse Crunch. Known as a hulking defenceman with strong mobility, Graves became a fixture on Hartford’s blueline and was selected to represent the club at the 2016 AHL All-Star Game, where he won the hardest shot competition with a 103.4 mph slapshot. He finished the season leading Hartford defencemen with nine goals and 21 points in 74 games.
In the 2016–17 season, Graves led Hartford’s defence in scoring once again with eight goals and 22 assists for 30 points, and was named one of the team’s alternate captains. During the final year of his entry-level contract, however, his production declined in the 2017–18 season, when he recorded just four goals and 11 points in 57 games. Graves was then traded by the New York Rangers to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Chris Bigras at the 2018 trade deadline on February 26, 2018, and was assigned to Colorado’s AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage.
Avalanche Breakthrough (2018–2021)
On July 17, 2018, the Avalanche re-signed Graves to a one-year contract, and he made his National Hockey League debut with Colorado during the 2018–19 season, scoring his first National Hockey League goal on January 4, 2019, against the Rangers. During the 2019–20 season, Graves emerged as a regular in Colorado’s lineup, primarily playing alongside eventual Calder Memorial Trophy winner Cale Makar. In a top-pairing role, he set career highs in goals and points and led the National Hockey League with a league-best +40 plus–minus rating, and on October 12, 2020, the Avalanche signed him to a three-year, $9.5 million contract extension.
In the pandemic-delayed 2020–21 season, Graves played his 100th National Hockey League game on January 22, 2021, in a 3–2 overtime win against the Anaheim Ducks. Used in a top-four role, he became a key part of Colorado’s penalty kill, finishing third in the league in short-handed time on ice. He appeared in 54 of the Avalanche’s 56 regular season games, recording two goals and 15 points, before being traded by the Avalanche to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Mikhail Maltsev and a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft on July 15, 2021.
Devils Era (2021–2023)
In his first season with New Jersey, Graves set a new career high in points with 28, recording six goals and 22 assists across 75 games. In his second season, he appeared in 78 games, scoring eight goals and 18 assists for 26 points, and his final assist of the season marked his 100th career National Hockey League point. After completing his contract with the Devils, Graves left the organization as an unrestricted free agent.
Pittsburgh Penguins Era (2023–Present)
Remaining in the Metropolitan Division, Graves signed a six-year, $27 million contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1, 2023. In his first season with Pittsburgh, he appeared in 70 games, recording three goals and 11 assists for 14 points. On March 29, 2024, he suffered a concussion in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets and was subsequently placed on long-term injured reserve on April 11, missing the remainder of the regular season.
In October 2025, the Penguins placed Graves on waivers, and after going unclaimed, he was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Graves was recalled by Pittsburgh in November 2025, returning to the National Hockey League roster.
Driving Style and Strengths
Graves is recognized as a hulking defenceman with strong mobility for his size, combining a 6-foot-5 frame with effective shot-blocking and a hard slapshot that topped 103 mph at the 2016 AHL All-Star Game. His top-pairing work alongside Cale Makar in Colorado highlighted his value as a steady, positionally sound partner who can also contribute offensively. With the Penguins, his size and penalty-killing experience have continued to define his role on the blueline.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Graves’s signature achievements are leading the National Hockey League with a +40 plus–minus rating during the 2019–20 season and capturing the President’s Cup with the Val-d’Or Foreurs in 2014. He also earned a spot on the Canadian Hockey League’s Memorial Cup All-Star Team while serving as an assistant captain with the Quebec Remparts. Reaching his 100th National Hockey League game and 100th career National Hockey League point further mark his steady progression through the league.
Ryan Graves Career Wins
While defencemen are rarely measured by goal totals alone, Graves has compiled notable victories across the QMJHL, the AHL, and the National Hockey League. His most celebrated team triumph came with the Val-d’Or Foreurs, and he has also posted personal milestones such as a league-best plus–minus rating during his time with the Colorado Avalanche.
QMJHL and Memorial Cup Highlights
Graves contributed eight points in 24 playoff games to help the Val-d’Or Foreurs capture the President’s Cup during the 2013–14 season. He later enjoyed a breakout campaign with the Quebec Remparts, recording career highs of 15 goals and 24 assists for 39 points in just 50 games while serving as an assistant captain. Graves was then named to the Canadian Hockey League’s Memorial Cup All-Star Team after collecting five points in five games for host club Quebec.
Other Wins and Performances
In the American Hockey League, Graves became a fixture on Hartford’s blueline and won the hardest shot competition at the 2016 AHL All-Star Game. He was also named one of Hartford’s alternate captains in the 2016–17 season, reflecting his standing within the Rangers’ developmental system.
Ryan Graves Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Ryan Graves was raised by his father, Ron Graves, and his mother, Monica Brennan, in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. His childhood friendship with fellow Nova Scotian Nathan MacKinnon, with whom he frequently competed in local youth hockey, became one of the formative relationships of his early hockey life. This connection to a future first-overall National Hockey League pick helped sharpen Graves’s competitive instincts from a young age.
Personal Life
Graves continues to be identified publicly with his hometown roots in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and with the close friendships he built through youth hockey. Beyond his family ties to Ron Graves and Monica Brennan, additional verified personal-life details are not publicly confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season brought a shift in Graves’s role with the Pittsburgh Penguins. After appearing in 70 games during his first year with the club, his standing on the roster changed when the team placed him on waivers in October 2025. Following his unclaimed status, the Penguins assigned him to their American Hockey League affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, in an effort to keep him active within the organization.
Graves did not remain in the minors for long, as the Penguins recalled him in November 2025. His return to the National Hockey League roster offered a renewed opportunity to contribute on the blueline alongside his usual defensive responsibilities.
Looking ahead within the 2025 calendar, Graves remains under contract with Pittsburgh through the 2028–29 season. With his size, shot-blocking reputation, and prior top-four experience, his role is expected to balance defensive reliability with continued mentorship responsibilities as the Penguins manage their defensive depth.