ECHL: Graham Sward Heads To The NCAA

Originally posted on Inside The Rink
By Armand Klisivitch | Last updated Sep 19, 2025 2:52 AM ET

Norfolk Admirals defenseman Graham Sward is joining the growing list of ECHL players heading to the NCAA, as he will attend Quinnipiac University. Sward, 22, is coming off his first professional season, where he put up two goals and 11 assists for 13 points in 47 games. He would add one assist in 11 Kelly Cup Playoff games. Sward also saw one game at the AHL with the Manitoba Moose. This doesn’t come as a huge shock, given that we saw Jack Beck of the Wheeling Nailers head to Arizona State after finishing his first professional season. It will be interesting to see how many more ECHLers will decide to head back to school.

MHOK: @QU_MIH has added first-year Graham Sward to the roster ahead of the 2025-2026 season.

Sward played 47 games in the ECHL with the Norfolk Admirals, where he racked up 13 points with two goals and 11 assists.#NCAAHockey | #ECACHockey pic.twitter.com/ljCFW5OeX1
— Quinnipiac Bobcats Sports Network (@QBSN) September 18, 2025

Prior to going pro, the Langley, British Columbia native spent parts of six seasons in the WHL. He would spend parts of five seasons with the Spokane Chiefs, where he put up 14 goals and 52 assists for 66 points in 132 games. In three games during the 2022 WHL Playoffs, Sward would put up one goal. Sward would be traded to the Winnipeg Ice early in the 2022-23 season. In 52 games with the Ice, he put up four goals and 29 assists for 33 points in 57 games. He would add two goals and 10 assists for 12 points in 19 games during the 2023 WHL Playoffs.

Graham would spend his final junior season with the Wenatchee Wild, where he put 15 goals and 66 assists for 81 points in 66 games. He would add a goal and five assists for six points in six games during the playoffs.

This article first appeared on Inside The Rink and was syndicated with permission.

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