Kammala jumla mai zuwa: Graves ya fara wasa Junior B hockey tare da King City, Ontario, arewacin wurin haihuwarsa a Toronto. Daga nan sai Graves ya shiga Windsor Spitfires na Ontario Hockey League (OHL) a cikin 1985<unk>86 kuma ya kai kimanin maki ɗaya a kowane wasa a matsayin rookie a cikin OHL. Detroit Red Wings ne suka zaba shi a matsayin na 22 a jerin 'yan wasa.
Zaɓin shiga NHL na 1986.