F Trevor Connelly - Providence College, NCAA (2024, 19th, VGK)

[Castle8130]

Kind of shocked. He passes the eye test pretty well, but he is still very skinny and didn't dominate NCAA hockey. Was his production because of a lackluster of icetime?

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Kind of shocked. He passes the eye test pretty well, but he is still very skinny and didn't dominate NCAA hockey. Was his production because of a lackluster of icetime?

Providence leans more defensive than offensive as a program, at least historically. Vegas may just want him in Henderson to develop in the A where they have more control over his development.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He’s not going to be in the NHL next season.

Hopefully they at least lend him for the WJC.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Divver's thoughts on the signing (Divver covers Providence so his opinion is to be taken seriously)

 

[Kingpin794]

If he has a rough start in the AHL, he’s almost certainly headed for the WHL. They won’t just let him die in pros next year will they?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

If he has a rough start in the AHL, he’s almost certainly headed for the WHL. They won’t just let him die in pros next year will they?

He’s a talented first round pick. I don’t think in his U19 season he won’t be capable of keeping up in the AHL.

Edit: U20

 

[BKarchitect]

Yeah I don’t think he signed to go backwards and play juniors. His season wasn’t really “complete” so I’d like to have seen him spend another year at a high-major program, even if that meant transferring.

But…I’d consider him spending next year in the AHL very equivalent to say Eduard Sale this year…Sale is another pure skill guy with very slight frame picked in the same area of the 1st round the year prior. Sale didn’t even have a good junior season (let alone college experience like Connelly), and yet he has had a pretty solid and successful year of growth in the AHL at age 19.

Depends on player and program but needless to say, I’d expect Connelly to receive very specific pro-level attention being a stone’s throw away in Henderson. Maybe that will be good for him, time will tell.

 

[thrillhous]

With early signings like this (that feel premature) I always wonder if there is an academic eligibility issue. For all I know TC is an excellent student but it’s something that I wonder about when it feels like one year is not nearly enough for a player. Strong chance the AHL is going to be really rough for him but going back to USHL or going to CHL for a year would be easy for him physically but he wouldn’t be challenged.

 

[wickedwitch]

He had 5 even strength points all season. I feel that does not bode well.

 

[saintunspecified]

He had 5 even strength points all season. I feel that does not bode well.

Some guys need to gain 10-15 pounds. He needs 20-30. I watched bunch of hockey east, and if he didn't have a step or two he couldn't do a whole lot. He looks like the kind of person who has a runaway metabolism. He probably digests himself too quickly to put on & keep mass.

 

[JohnLennon]

Really tough year for Connelly. Strange to be giving him his ELC with max NHL, AHL and perfomance bonuses at this juncture. The only thing I can think of is that Vegas is not a fan of Providence and wanted to get Connelly to the AHL for more control over his development.

To be fair, Providence was horrendous in terms of offense. Looking only at point totals, there is not a single player who paced at more than 0.65 points/game. Not sure that's the place to be to develop your offensively gifted prospect.

 

[qcal1427]

With early signings like this (that feel premature) I always wonder if there is an academic eligibility issue. For all I know TC is an excellent student but it’s something that I wonder about when it feels like one year is not nearly enough for a player. Strong chance the AHL is going to be really rough for him but going back to USHL or going to CHL for a year would be easy for him physically but he wouldn’t be challenged.

I mean he could've transferred too ...

He’s not going to be in the NHL next season.

Hopefully they at least lend him for the WJC.

Hopefully they do not. He should never touch a Team USA again after his previous "exploits" with them

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Hopefully they do not. He should never touch a Team USA again after his previous "exploits" with them

I was fine with a suspension for the 2025 tournament, which he didn’t get.

But yeah, I agree he should’ve payed a price for losing them U18 Worlds due to his selfish penalty.

 

[Dux917]

He had 5 even strength points all season. I feel that does not bode well.

He was injured a few times during the season, and missed a bunch of games, so that plays into his stats.

 

[thrillhous]

I mean he could've transferred too ...

I was speculating about possible academic ineligibility. If that were true, which we have no evidence of, then the player’s options for NCAA transfer would be zero, no? Not like bad grades get erased just because you move schools, you have to meet entrance requirements.

 

[qcal1427]

I was speculating about possible academic ineligibility. If that were true, which we have no evidence of, then the player’s options for NCAA transfer would be zero, no? Not like bad grades get erased just because you move schools, you have to meet entrance requirements.

If he was on track to be ineligible after the first semester, we would've heard about it. Second semester is still in progress. If PC had more stringent standards than the NCAA / wasn't willing to massage things for him on their end(which I really doubt) I'm sure there would be plenty of schools with less stringent academic requirements that would want to bring him in.

 

[landy92mack29]

It's a weird choice as he didn't have a good year at all plus needs a lot of physical development before being ready for the pros. They'll probably try him in the AHL to start but I expect him to end up in Spokane and continue to develop his offence with Catton, Preston and Harrington as Connelly seems like a top 6 or nothing type. Vegas also has deep ties to the WHL

 

[BKarchitect]

3 points in 3 games to start his AHL career.

I said it was rather surprising he went pro already, and he certainly has physical development to do but I'll say it again - there is pretty much zero chance this kid ends up in juniors next year.

It's very clear Vegas wants to develop him nearby in Henderson. And he's already playing in their top six, Vegas didn't sign him to bury him with ECHL players on Henderson's 4th line.

 

[boredmale]

If he has a rough start in the AHL, he’s almost certainly headed for the WHL. They won’t just let him die in pros next year will they?

Doesn't hurt to let him play like 10 games in the AHL to see how he performs

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

I was fine with a suspension for the 2025 tournament, which he didn’t get.

But yeah, I agree he should’ve payed a price for losing them U18 Worlds due to his selfish penalty.

He didn't LOSE them a U18 tournament. What an awful take. Yes, he took a bad penalty. Does that mean the team has to blow a lead and not penalty kill?

I'm rooting for this player just because of all the self-righteous critics who want to bury him for one mistake as a 17-year-old.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He didn't LOSE them a U18 tournament. What an awful take. Yes, he took a bad penalty. Does that mean the team has to blow a lead and not penalty kill?

I'm rooting for this player just because of all the self-righteous critics who want to bury him for one mistake as a 17-year-old.

I think he’s made more than one mistake.

And I’m not someone who wants to condemn his every mistake. I take no pleasure in seeing his failures, but on and off the ice it seems like he’s troubled and maybe isn’t the smartest with his decision making.

 

[wetcoast]

3 points in 3 games to start his AHL career.

I said it was rather surprising he went pro already, and he certainly has physical development to do but I'll say it again - there is pretty much zero chance this kid ends up in juniors next year.

It's very clear Vegas wants to develop him nearby in Henderson. And he's already playing in their top six, Vegas didn't sign him to bury him with ECHL players on Henderson's 4th line.

I would think this is what vegas is thinking but often a late season edition does quite well in a couple of games then struggles the enxt season and with his body type I wonder what is in store for him?

Obviously gaining some muscle and a little bit of quickness in the offseason would do wonders.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Might be one of those players who ends up a better pro than junior.

 

[BKarchitect]

I would think this is what vegas is thinking but often a late season edition does quite well in a couple of games then struggles the enxt season and with his body type I wonder what is in store for him?

Obviously gaining some muscle and a little bit of quickness in the offseason would do wonders.

For sure all these late season additions whether NHL or AHL will have to actually earn their spots all over again in camp, definitely agreed there.

A guy like Eduard Sale with a similar string-beam build did fine this year in the AHL at age 19 (though he slowed down after a hot start)…and he was coming from a poor/disappointing junior season at 18. I’d argue Connolly with a similar skill-based game coming from high-level D1 is going to have less of a transition than that. We are talking about a kid with real lottery-level skill even though he dropped a smidge on draft day. It may just be the AHL will be a better place for him to train and get up to speed and strength.