USA U18 F Graham McPhee – Draft-Eligible Prospects with NHL Bloodline’s

USA U18 F Graham McPhee – Prospects with NHL Bloodline’s

USA U18 F Graham McPhee is number three on our list in a series dedicated to draft-eligible prospects with current or past family ties to the NHL. Graham is the son of former NHLer, and Special Advisor to New York Islanders GM (Garth Snow), George McPhee – who played 101 of his 115 career NHL games with the New York Rangers.

Matthew Tkachuk, Jakob Chychrun, Alex Nylander, Kieffer Bellows, and Logan Brown are the first names to come to mind for 2016 draft-eligible prospects with current/or former NHL bloodline’s.

Both Keith Tkachuk and Michael Nylander had long, successful careers. Brian Bellows played nearly 1200 games, producing more than 1000 points. Jeff Brown also had a solid career posting 585 points in 747 points from the back-end. Jeff Chychrun was a 1984 draft pick, a veteran of 262 games playing until 1993-94, finishing his career with AHL Cape Breton.

We are featuring 15 draft-eligible prospects with NHL bloodline’s/family ties. The 2016 NHL Entry Draft will be held on June 24-25 in Buffalo, New York at the First Niagara Center.

NHL Bloodline’s: USA U18 F Graham McPhee

USA U18 F Graham McPhee
Father: George McPhee

George spent four years (1978-79 to 1981-82) at Bowling Green State University as a highly productive college hockey player. During his last year, he was awarded the Hobey Baker Award (top college player in the country) after producing 80 points in 40 games.

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McPhee spent the 1982-83 with Tulsa Oilers of the now defunct Central Hockey League (a minor league system for the NHL). After tallying 60 points in 61 games, he joined the New York Rangers in the playoffs, posting six points in nine games. He spent the majority of the next season (1983-84) with Tulsa once again, producing 48 points in 49 games. George also appeared in nine games for New York, posting two points.

In 1984-85, George McPhee enjoyed his longest single season NHL stint, appearing in 49 games for the Rangers, posting 27 points. He also scored a goal in three playoff contests. In 1985-86, McPhee posted eight points in 30 games for New York. He was left off the scoresheet in 11 playoff games. George saw even fewer games in 1986-87, but matched his eight points from the previous year in 21 games. He added a goal in six contests during the playoffs.

On September 30th, 1987, George McPhee was traded to Winnipeg for a 4th round draft pick. One week later, he was traded to New Jersey for 4th rounder yet again. He only appeared in six games for the Devils over the next two seasons, appearing in just one game in 1988-89, which was unfortunately his last.

George McPhee produced 49 points and 257 penalty minutes in 115 career NHL games, which spanned over seven seasons.

In the video below, a small feisty George McPhee engages in a round of fisticuffs with former NHL great Rick Tocchet.

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– Along with Edmonton’s Ray Cote in 1983, the pair became the first in NHL history to record three or more goals in a postseason without playing a regular season game.
– He won a Championship playing with Central Hockey League’s Tulsa Oilers in 1983-84 (48 points in 49 games).
– George landed a front office job in 1992 as assistant to then Vancouver Canucks GM, the late Hall-of-Famer Pat Burns. McPhee went on to help the team make the playoffs four times, adding a division win, and memorable Stanley Cup Finals run in 1994 – falling short to Mark Messier and the New York Rangers.
– Hired as Washington Capitals GM in 1997, McPhee spent more than 16 years as Caps General Manager, going on to win seven Division titles before he was relieved of his duties in April 2014.
– On September 25, 1999, McPhee, angry at what he perceived to be dirty play by the Chicago Blackhawks, punched then Blackhawks head coach Lorne Molleken outside the Chicago locker room after their teams’ exhibition game. Molleken sustained injuries to his head and in response Blackhawks players and team aides jumped McPhee, leaving him with a torn suit. On October 1, 1999, Gary Bettman, the NHL commissioner, suspended McPhee for a month without pay and fined him $20,000. [Wikipedia]

USA U18 F Graham McPhee – 92nd Ranked North American Skater

At 5’11 172lbs, Graham is a little bigger than his father. He plays a similar tough, physical brand of hockey. He fits the mold of a prototypical NHL power forward. After spending the last couple of seasons in USA Hockey’s National Development Program, Graham is committed to Boston College in the fall of 2016, where he will be coached by Jerry York – the same man who coached his father decades earlier. Graham McPhee is a product of Shattuck St.Mary’s, known for producing NHL talent.

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Chris Dilks via SBNation College Hockey,

“McPhee is a really smart, detail-oriented player that does a lot of little things, but what separates him from similar players is that McPhee can do all of those things at a faster pace than other players. I think he’s only going to get better and better. He’s got good hands, but isn’t a tremendously gifted-natural scorer. He surveys the ice really well in the offensive end though, which will allow him to pick up his fair share of points.”

Next: NHL Bloodline's in the 2016 Draft: Riley Stillman

2016 Draft-Eligible Prospects With NHL Bloodline’s:
*NHL family ties in parentheses

Graham McPhee has split time between clubs in 2015-16. He’s posted 12 points in 42 games with the US National U18 Team, adding four points in 14 games with USHL’s Team USA.