Photo credit: RocketFAN

By Regan Bartel

Captain reflects on organ donation

Max Graham recovering from knee surgery

Feb 21, 2025 | 6:00 AM

Max Graham understands the vital role of organ donation. 

The 20-year-old captain of the Kelowna Rockets is experiencing the impact of this generosity firsthand after undergoing knee surgery. 

When Graham tore his MCL in a game against the Spokane Chiefs back on January 15th, cutting his season short, a ligament from a donor — known as a cadaver graft — was used in his recovery. 

“I not only tore my MCL down the middle, but I also tore it off my tibia,” Graham told RocketFAN, now with an increased understanding of the procedure that will get him back on the ice. “The medial meniscus, which is connected to the MCL, had a small tear in it. I also tore my posterior oblique ligament, towards the back of the knee. I tore that too.” 

The surgery, performed at Kelowna General Hospital, was done by Dr. Lane Dielwart. 

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“She sent me a few pictures when my knee was opened up on the surgical table,” Graham said. “It was pretty gross at first, but looking at the photos, I don’t know how they know what they’re doing,” he chuckled. “I don’t want to be too gruesome, but it looked like a bunch of flesh. It’s really impressive that they are able to reconstruct knees and get people back healthy.” 

Graham, who had never had surgery before, marveled at the skill required to put people back together. 

“To be able to take an Achilles from someone who ended up passing away and to use their body for good is pretty crazy,” he continued. “The tendon was completely shot, so I had to use a cadaver Achilles heel. Now I have an Achilles as my MCL, and it’s healing up nicely. It will end up being stronger than my good knee once I make a full recovery.” 

Does this make Graham think about potentially becoming an organ donor himself in the future? 

“I will definitely be an organ donor after this,” he said without hesitation. “Usually with ACL injuries, they take a graft from your quad or your hamstring, but it was best to go with a donor graft. I heard the Achilles is the longest, strongest tendon in the human body, so maybe I got a little bit of an upgrade.” 

The road to recovery will be a long one for Graham, who is currently using crutches and will need five to six months before he can return to the ice and start skating again. 

“The first week was tough, as I was laid up in bed,” he said. “It was sore during that first week. Once I got off painkillers, I could move around pretty well with a knee brace that locks my knee in extension. I’m able to make it to Rockets games now, and I’m hoping to hop on the team bus every once in a while, and go on road trips with them.” 

Looking back at the injury, if it had to happen, was the timing, right? 

“If this had happened at the first game of the season, I’d be trying to rush back and hopefully be ready for the end of the season,” he added. “Or, if it had happened at the last game of the season, my entire summer of training would be shot,” he said optimistically despite having his junior career cut short.  

“It happened at a good time.

“I’ll finish up my rehab, have a couple of months’ worth of skating this summer, and then hopefully jump into pro training camp and go from there.”