F Trevor Connelly - Tri-City Storm, USHL (2024, 19th, VGK)

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57special

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I think there are legitimate questions about if he's not a smart hockey player.

Between the penalty that lost the team the U18 Worlds and some of his skating around aimlessly and throwing the puck into traffic with no target or getting stripped of the puck, I don't know if he thinks the game well in many regards.

Some of his decisions on the physical parts of the game are also very questionable. I've seen him hold onto pucks in the USHL and get absolutely crushed bad enough that there's no way a player can keep taking hits like that and survive. These weren't legal hits and were penalized, but still there are better decisions to be had in all these decisions, and I don't know if he is capable of it.
Yeah, his on ice judgement might not be a strength, although his ability and willingness to take the puck to the net is impressive. I wonder if he will be able to do that in the NHL. Very few players can blow by defenders in the NHL. I also noticed he basically plowed into the goalie, a lot while trying to finish an outside move. He will pay a physical price if he tries to do that in the AHL, nvm the NHL. He will have to either change that tendency, or prepare to deal with the consequences of that type of play. It will be far different than what you get in the USHL.
 

Dutronc

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It makes me mad that mtl drafted Mailloux before cause they needs this guy badly.
 

HoweFan

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Jan 10, 2017
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Sounds like it went poorly.. from those around the combine "he didn't do himself any favors" and even though 22 teams interviewed him, it sounds like far less have him on their final list.
Hmm that may be the final straw
 

Rabid Ranger

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Believe it was two weeks ago podcast with Pronman or it might have been Peters. I forget where I heard it.
That's fine but it would be nice to have something more substantial. The reality is there was nothing Connelly was going to be able to do to placate some teams. They have their minds made up that the off-stuff makes him a no go.
 
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Crazy Cizikas

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That's fine but it would be nice to have something more substantial. The reality is there was nothing Connelly was going to be able to do to placate some teams. They have their minds made up that the off-stuff makes him a no go.
Yeah, he’s earned his way onto some do not draft lists. On a good day, he’s a schmuck and some teams would rather not deal with that. But a few teams will ignore that and those teams will not let him slide too much. I just don’t want my team to take him. There’s other players to draft.
 

Trojans86

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Dec 30, 2015
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I watched this kid grow upand he sees the ice very well but he does play selfish, which is unfortunate. I’m very hopeful he matures into a team oriented young man and some team gets a late first round steal from him. Sometimes parents influence a kid to be a bit selfish like that and as his parents have less and less influence some of that may change.
 

57special

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Individual play with the puck is emphasized at lower levels of hockey in order to develop skill, the thinking being that you don't become a good puck handler if you don't have it on your stick. So, it's basically encouraging "hero puck" pay. I never liked it, but that's what more experienced minds than me recommend. The problem gets to be when players don't flip the switch and start making the right play as they advance into higher levels of hockey(Bantams and up for me, certainly Midget/Junior).

Connelly looks like a guy who only passes when he has no other option. As one observer put it, he doesn't make players around him better, but worse. This can be fixed, if he is willing to, but it is hard to break old habits.

One weird thing about Connelly. He has decent height(just over 6'), but only weighed 160 at the Combine. That's really thin. The much maligned(about his size) Catton weighs 15 more lbs. than him, and is 2" smaller. Connelly looks like he needs to put on about 30 lbs. in order to survive in the NHL. That's a lot.
 

Rabid Ranger

2 is better than one
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Individual play with the puck is emphasized at lower levels of hockey in order to develop skill, the thinking being that you don't become a good puck handler if you don't have it on your stick. So, it's basically encouraging "hero puck" pay. I never liked it, but that's what more experienced minds than me recommend. The problem gets to be when players don't flip the switch and start making the right play as they advance into higher levels of hockey(Bantams and up for me, certainly Midget/Junior).

Connelly looks like a guy who only passes when he has no other option. As one observer put it, he doesn't make players around him better, but worse. This can be fixed, if he is willing to, but it is hard to break old habits.

One weird thing about Connelly. He has decent height(just over 6'), but only weighed 160 at the Combine. That's really thin. The much maligned(about his size) Catton weighs 15 more lbs. than him, and is 2" smaller. Connelly looks like he needs to put on about 30 lbs. in order to survive in the NHL. That's a lot.
Jack Hughes is around the same height and weighs 175 lbs. soaking wet. Yes, Connelly needs to put on some weight and gain some strength but let's not go overboard here.
 

OgeeOgelthorpe

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This probably won't be popular at all, but I like Connelly better. But I was never high on Kent Johnson so take that for what it's worth. I think Connelly's best is better than KJ's best.

I watched a lot of Kent Johnson in 2021. He wasn’t my favorite guy in that top 10 but was still a legit top 10 talent. With Connelly I see a lot of flash but not the same substance. He’s very individually skilled but the IQ is what I think is lacking to make it more effective. And like KJ his super light frame is going to be a hindrance.
 

57special

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Jack Hughes is around the same height and weighs 175 lbs. soaking wet. Yes, Connelly needs to put on some weight and gain some strength but let's not go overboard here.
Think of that- he's taller than Hughes, and needs to put on 15 lbs. just to equal him. It's not like Hughes is known for his robust physical game. Connelly can only dream of having his skating, skill, and IQ.

I just find it odd that Catton is getting criticized for his lack of size and physicality, and he is 15 lbs. more than Connelly- I haven't heard anyone criticize his lack of strength.
 
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Jersey Fan 12

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For some reason this thread jumps from February to April.

Was it an injury that kept him from playing in the USHL playoffs or were there other reasons? Is that when he was with the U18 team?

For some reason this thread jumps from February to April.

Was it an injury that kept him from playing in the USHL playoffs or were there other reasons? Is that when he was with the U18 team?
 

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