There is perhaps no player more controversial in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft than Trevor Connelly. Talent-wise, he is one of the most skilled players in the draft, but off the ice, he has had a couple of high-profile incidents that will make teams nervous to select him. Let’s jump into it.
Who is Trevor Connelly?
| Player | Position | Handedness | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Connelly | LW | Left | 6’1″ | 161 lbs |
Connelly’s on-ice production
| Year | Draft Relative | League | Team | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | D-2 | NEPACK 16U | Long Island Gulls | 9 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| 2022–23 | D-1 | USHL | Tri-City Storm | 57 | 24 | 23 | 47 |
| 2023–24 | D+0 | USHL | Tri-City Storm | 52 | 31 | 47 | 78 |
Huge in Tri-City
It’s hard to be an impact player when you are much younger than your competition, but Connelly did that when he jumped over to the USHL’s Tri-City Storm. In his first season, he put up a massive 47 points in 57 games, good for second on his team in scoring. It was also good for third among U17 skaters in the league that year, with only Macklin Celebrini and Mac Swanson ahead of him.
This past season, he took a major stride forward, putting up 78 points in 52 games for the Storm. This was good for second in the entire league in scoring and the second-highest points-per-game total of all skaters. He has not played any playoff games for Tri-City as he will be representing Team USA at the upcoming World U18s.
Making an impact at the international stage
This won’t be the first time the Tustin, California product will represent the Red, White, and Blue. Connelly was outstanding for his home country in the Hlinka Gretzky Tournament this year, where he had five goals and five assists in five games for USA. This was tied for the tournament lead in points and Connelly was the US’s top scorer.
He also had an incredible U19 WJAC this past year, where he had eleven points in six games for the Americans, good for second in the tournament. He really takes his game to the next level on the international ice and has been phenomenal there.
Connelly’s off-ice challenges
The challenge with drafting Connelly is his off-ice issues. In March of 2022, Connelly posted a photo to his socials showing a swastika made out of blocks in a library, and while it was quickly deleted, the internet is forever and the screenshot was circulated.
Furthermore, there are numerous allegations that Connelly used a racist slur towards an opponent in a 2021 game. He was suspended for the incident, but it was lifted later when the California Amateur Hockey Association ruled that no violation had occurred.
Following both incidents, he has committed to being better, taking courses on inclusion and diversity, visiting numerous museums, and even coaching a U14 team at the LATAM Cup for teams from non-traditional hockey countries.
Connelly’s strengths
One-on-one play
Connelly is an outstanding skater and shines in his one-on-one play. He can beat defenders cleanly on the rush or in the offensive zone, seemingly able to get through guys who have the inside track on him or the size to outmuscle him.
He has a really good read for the game, able to anticipate where lanes will open up for himself, and then can create quality scoring chances time and time again. His skill is just off the charts, and he has a knack for elevating his game when the chips are down. Check out this highlight-reel goal he scored in the Hlinka-Gretzky Tournament.
Growth in his two-way game
One of the regular knocks on skilled forwards is that their defensive game is often lacking. However, for Connelly, Tri-City has worked hard with him to improve this side of his game. He has played heavy penalty kill minutes for the team and has done a lot of work off the puck on his positioning and defending to ensure he can be effective at both ends of the ice.
This was never going to be a hallmark of his game, but the fact that he can reliably play well in his own end to the point of being an effective penalty killer points to both his skill and read of the game but also to his ability to learn and grow as he moves up in skill levels.
Big game player
For teams looking for a player who will show up when the chips are down, Connelly is the guy. He has been incredibly impressive each time he has suited up for Team USA at a tournament. While these tournaments are a very small sample to look at, having performed as well as he has at both tournaments points to a player who elevates his game in big moments. For teams looking for playoff performers, Connelly is the guy.
Connelly’s areas of improvement
Size and muscle
Connelly is not a small player, height-wise, but he does need to add a good chunk of muscle still to his frame. This has been an issue in the corners and against more physical opponents, where he occasionally struggles to be as effective, but he uses his feet so well that he rarely gets into those situations in the first place.
This is a solvable problem that will come with time. Connelly is expected to join the NCAA’s Providence College Bruins next season and will likely bulk up between now and then. However, should he not bulk up effectively, it will likely hinder his progression in his game going forward.
Playmaking ability
Connelly at his core is a scorer and the type of player who thrives in the one-on-one game. The one area of his game that he will need to work on is his passing and playmaking. Whether this is a lack of trust in his teammates’ abilities or just an innate confidence in himself, Connelly’s default has typically been to make the play himself and go for goal.
This works well in lower leagues, but will not work against tougher opponents in the NCAA and beyond. He has gotten better at it this past season, but it will be an area he needs to work on going into the next phase of his hockey career.
Connelly’s comparables
Connelly reminds me a lot of Trevor Zegras, with his high skill level and his ability to score big goals when the chips are down. Both American skaters were highly touted in their draft years for their offensive abilities, and both had strong success at international tournaments. There is a lot to like in Connelly’s game and an NHL team will certainly draft him.
Fit with the Flames
Since the departure of Johnny Gaudreau, the Flames have not really had a game-breaking forward with a high skill level that can dazzle. Connelly would fit that bill easily. He still does have work to do in his game to get to where scouts expect him to, but broadly he has a ton of potential to be the guy the Flames need.
The challenge with Connelly is character. It’s simply not acceptable to be a professional hockey player, let alone anybody, and be posing with racist symbols and be accused of using racial slurs in a game. No amount of skill makes up for being a not-great human, and the risks, both reputational to the organization and internal to a locker room, make him a player to shy away from in the draft.
There are plenty of other players the Flames should target instead of Connelly.
Summary
There is no doubt about Connelly’s production and potential. He is an incredibly skilled player who has so much ability to be elite in a few years. However, with the number of off-ice issues that he has caused, it simply is not worth the risk to draft him in the first round or beyond.
Risk: 5/5
Reward: 4/5
Projection: Elite top-six winger
Check out all of The Win Column’s individual player profiles of selected 2024 NHL Draft prospects:
Macklin Celebrini | Ivan Demidov | Artyom Levshunov | Sam Dickinson | Cayden Lindstrom | Berkly Catton | Cole Eiserman | Zeev Buium | Konsta Helenius | Zayne Parekh | Carter Yakemchuk | Anton Silayev | Tij Iginla | Adam Jiricek | Michael Brandsegg-Nygard | Liam Greentree | Igor Chernyshov | Trevor Connelly | Aron Kiviharju | Michael Hage | Ryder Ritchie | Sacha Boisvert | Nikita Artamonov
