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LW Kyle Connor - Michigan, NCAA (2015, 17th, WPG)

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Tripod said:
Here is the thing with the Okposo comparison....it took Okposo until age 25 to really break out. Before that, you could see the potential but he often disappointed. I think that there are other guys that are closer to NHL ready that GM's will jump on earlier instead. I think he goes outside the top 10.

There is just so much talent this year.
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The trait of not breaking out until a few years later in your career is not mutually exclusive to the USHL
 
puckfan13 said:
USHL is not a high scoring league at all.
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I don't think he's saying that at all. I think he's making the point that his scoring rate is about the same as last year. This is his 3rd year in the league. You would kind of expect a prospect of his caliber to produce at another level. He still led the league in scoring so its not a huge concern, but I had a similar question.
 
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FLYguy3911 said:
I don't think he's saying that at all. I think he's making the point that his scoring rate is about the same as last year. This is his 3rd year in the league. You would kind of expect a prospect of his caliber to produce at another level. He still led the league in scoring so its not a huge concern, but I had a similar question.
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but again the point that the league isn't a high scoring league should make it well known that he can only produce so much. Look at Gaudreaus stats while in the USHL..not Earth shattering. He led the league in scoring so not sure what more he could do to be honest. Connor is starting to show up on more top 10 lists now.
 
AmericanDream said:
but again the point that the league isn't a high scoring league should make it well known that he can only produce so much. Look at Gaudreaus stats while in the USHL..not Earth shattering. He led the league in scoring so not sure what more he could do to be honest. Connor is starting to show up on more top 10 lists now.
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I don't think anyone said his season wasn't good. I think after the year he had last year, expectations become a little higher. Gaudreau did what he did, in his first and only season in the USHL (Youngstown is also a higher scoring team than Dubuque was when Gaudreau and Girgensons were there). This is Connor's third season. Youngstown was one of the worst teams in the league last year, they're one of the best this year, so that shouldn't be the reason. Maybe he's bored? He should probably be playing in a different league by now, but he wants to go to college so this is the best league he can play in.
 
FLYguy3911 said:
I don't think anyone said his season wasn't good. I think after the year he had last year, expectations become a little higher. Gaudreau did what he did, in his first and only season in the USHL (Youngstown is also a higher scoring team than Dubuque was when Gaudreau and Girgensons were there). This is Connor's third season. Youngstown was one of the worst teams in the league last year, they're one of the best this year, so that shouldn't be the reason. Maybe he's bored? He should probably be playing in a different league by now, but he wants to go to college so this is the best league he can play in.
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Well I will say this. Gaudreau played with far more talent than Connor has this year despite overall stats. I understand what you are saying but Connor made Youngstown plain and simple. I would be surprised if anyone outside of him makes it as a pro player from that roster..including Letunov

I understand expectations were high as they were with me as well, but imo he reached and exceeded them as he became a better all around player this year. Unlike the CHL where third and fourth year players explode statistically it simply doesnt happen in the USHL no matter how much skill a player has. If Connor went to the OHL I could only imagine the insane numbers he would have put up but we cant think like that. Again to me he did all he could do after a slow start....he led the league in scoring and was solid all around which has led to this teams overall turn around. Just looking at stats isnt going to tell the whole story this year for Connor.
 
This is an interesting topic because the USHL is so obscure. I didn't even know the league existed 5 years ago.

Living in Canada clearly obscures that fact to a large degree, but I have heard of its low scoring reputation. I saw Connor play a couple of times at that tournament in Saskatchewan at Xmas time. he looked very good...I have him ranked 12th on my list, one ahead of Crouse, One behind Meier..

Any USHL fans have more feedback, would love to read it...
 
AmericanDream said:
Well I will say this. Gaudreau played with far more talent than Connor has this year despite overall stats. I understand what you are saying but Connor made Youngstown plain and simple. I would be surprised if anyone outside of him makes it as a pro player from that roster..including Letunov

I understand expectations were high as they were with me as well, but imo he reached and exceeded them as he became a better all around player this year. Unlike the CHL where third and fourth year players explode statistically it simply doesnt happen in the USHL no matter how much skill a player has. If Connor went to the OHL I could only imagine the insane numbers he would have put up but we cant think like that. Again to me he did all he could do after a slow start....he led the league in scoring and was solid all around which has led to this teams overall turn around. Just looking at stats isnt going to tell the whole story this year for Connor.
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Fair enough. I know the kid's talented. Just agreeing with another poster that the his production this year was a legitimate question. Really interested to see how he does next season. Intriguing prospect.
 
He lead the league in scoring and with a bit of a buffer too. If you want to question the production of Crouse or Zacha go ahead but you can't question the production from a guy who led his whole league.
 
Interesting that most rankings have him between 11-15 and yet he seems to be a popular choice for someone to go slightly off the board for in the 6-10 range in mocks.
 
Averman4 said:
Interesting that most rankings have him between 11-15 and yet he seems to be a popular choice for someone to go slightly off the board for in the 6-10 range in mocks.
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Connor is a pretty damn safe bet to make the NHL in some capacity. Doesn't really have a significant weakness. It's all about what kind of upside teams think he has.
 
Came into this thread late- is this guy committed to NCAA next season? and is he a 3-4 year NCAA player before going pro?
 
topchowda said:
Came into this thread late- is this guy committed to NCAA next season? and is he a 3-4 year NCAA player before going pro?
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University of Michigan commit. No idea about how long he'll be there, though.

Trouba only played his freshman year and went pro after.
 
I think he's the kind of guy that plays 2 years NCAA at most. Wouldn't be surprised if he played one year, got more meat on his bones and then went pro.
 
rt said:
Never seen him play. Statistically he's extremely impressive. He had a better USHL season this year than Milano, Tuch or Schmaltz. All were first round picks this year. All are a year older. Tuch and Milano played for the USDP team which scored more goals than any other team in the USHL. 1/16 teams. Connor's Youngstown Phantoms? Twelfth in scoring in the league. 12/16. 172gf versus 246gf.

Schmaltz last year? .81ppg. Milano? .58. Tuch? .26.

Connor put up 1.32ppg this season.
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Milano's ppg last year was actually 1.56ppg according to eliteprospects and schmaltz was also over 1ppg. Was eliteprospects wrong because I know they show less games played than on the actual usdp site
 
Tripod said:
Here is the thing with the Okposo comparison....it took Okposo until age 25 to really break out. Before that, you could see the potential but he often disappointed.
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Thing with Okposo is he was progressively getting better his first 2 seasons, then he had a weird injury before the start of the 3rd season. After that he would have weird seasons that he would have bad first halves, good second halves for 3 seasons. I think he would have progressed faster if he didn't have that injury in his 3rd season
 
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Bonin21 said:
Where did you hear this?
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there are rumors out there, but in the Larkin thread there was an article I posted about him possibly leaving. My gut says he turns pro and plays in the AHL next year...nothing is confirmed but if he has a strong showing at the WC for team USA...I think the writing is on the wall.
 
kyle-connor.png


Leading the USHL in scoring, Kyle Connor of the Youngstown Phantoms is that other American forward prospect that is expected to go early in the 1st round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He’s earned many accolades in both Junior and International play; however he was left off the American roster for the 2015 World Junior Championship despite representing his country plenty of times in the past.
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More here on OTWinner.com
 
Satan said:
More here on OTWinner.com
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Is it really that common for the USA Junior team to take players from the USHL during the season?

Other than players who play for the US NDP team in the USHL, I can't recall anyone playing for USA and the World Juniors who was on an actual USHL team.

Seems very rare, I know its happened at least once but it might have been 15-20 years ago.
 
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