F Trevor Connelly - Tri-City Storm, USHL (2024 Draft)

[BKarchitect]

I see little reason to be “pre-outraged” here about what may or may not happen to Connelly in the media. Waste of space. I don’t sense an overwhelming media witch-hunt occurring here and if anything, I can see the selecting team doing heavy press on how TC has grown up these last couple years.

I think he will be selected high and I think he will be fine in his new market. I mean seriously…why are we getting all worked up over this?

 

[William H Bonney]

Hard part is the first round of the USHL Playoffs basically begins right when the U18 tournament begins and 12/16 make it. The Steel released Celebrini to the U18s and just played without him, but I wonder if that was a condition of his tender or something.

Yeah, I highly doubt Connelly is available because Tri-City would need to collapse to fall out of the playoffs and we very rarely see Americans leave their USHL team in the playoffs for the U18s. I know it's happened before but I don't remember the last time, as it's a delicate balance between the USHL and USAH, whereas the non-Americans often do leave.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

You are picking and choosing what is deserving of more offense. That’s my problem with this type of argument.

Either both of their careers should be ruined or neither.

Otherwise, what’s stopping someone to say they take more personal offense to what Connelly did?

This becomes a slippery slope.

What’s the difference between murder and petty crime? Either both people should go to jail for 30 years and have their life ruined or neither.

Stop acting like there’s no nuance or grey area in life. Just an awful post.

 

[Groo]

What is his future position?
Center or left winger?

 

[57special]

As far as the off ice stuff, NHL teams need to be extra rigorous about investigating him, even though they should be with ALL picks, but especially high 1st rounders. My understanding is that the friend who posed for the pic was Jewish, so while it was a poor decision to post it, it was also probably not evidence of any anti-semitism.

I will admit that when i hear of things like this(some kids at a local, privileged, high school posted a "funny" video, with nazi salutes and racial mockery) I shake my head, but also wonder if this is the first time that they have done this, or merely the first time they got caught.

That aside, it was a young mistake, and a parent(where this shit often comes from)is involved in helping him redress his actions. I hope it's sincere on both their parts.

As far as on ice, he looks to be a talented player, but not top 10. Because of the noise around him, I don't see teams being in a hurry to take that on when there are players like Greentree, Buium, Parekh, and Yakemchuk waiting to be taken.

 

[William H Bonney]

As far as the off ice stuff, NHL teams need to be extra rigorous about investigating him, even though they should be with ALL picks, but especially high 1st rounders. My understanding is that the friend who posed for the pic was Jewish, so while it was a poor decision to post it, it was also probably not evidence of any anti-semitism.

I will admit that when i hear of things like this(some kids at a local, privileged, high school posted a "funny" video, with nazi salutes and racial mockery) I shake my head, but also wonder if this is the first time that they have done this, or merely the first time they got caught.

That aside, it was a young mistake, and a parent(where this shit often comes from)is involved in helping him redress his actions. I hope it's sincere on both their parts.

As far as on ice, he looks to be a talented player, but not top 10. Because of the noise around him, I don't see teams being in a hurry to take that on when there are players like Greentree, Buium, Parekh, and Yakemchuk waiting to be taken.

On the ice what makes you have him not a top 10 talent? The reasoning was the off ice stuff.

 

[57special]

I see little reason to be “pre-outraged” here about what may or may not happen to Connelly in the media. Waste of space. I don’t sense an overwhelming media witch-hunt occurring here and if anything, I can see the selecting team doing heavy press on how TC has grown up these last couple years.

I think he will be selected high and I think he will be fine in his new market. I mean seriously…why are we getting all worked up over this?

Because NHL teams aren't normal work places, but highly public entertainment venues that need to put on the best public face possible. Where their best ambassadors are their players, especially their stars, and their stars of the future(i.e. 1st round draft picks). Seems pretty damn easy to understand, to me.

When you pick a guy in the first round, especially early on, you want to have an engaging story to present to your customer base, whether it's that he is a hometown boy, or is very close to his special needs sister(Faber), or is the first player ever from Whitehorse(Cozens), or that is a native player with strong roots to his tribal traditions, or that he used to be a really good baseball player, etc.. You don't want your first story about him to be how he really isn't anti-semitic, or racist. From a PR perspective, you are already starting from way behind, let alone, if another previously hidden story comes to light after he is drafted.

Who wants to sign up for that when there are a lot of other good choices to be had? It's not like Connelly is the next Gretzky, and miles ahead of others slated to be taken in the first half of the first round.

 

[57special]

On the ice what makes you have him not a top 10 talent? The reasoning was the off ice stuff.

Most have these guys ahead of him; Celebrini, Demidov, Catton, Helenius, Lindstrom, Dickinson, Levshunov, Silayev, Eiserman, Parekh, Buium, Yakemchuk.

After that, i would say that Iginla is in about the same tier. Jiricek, too, though it's hard to know how to rank a guy like that because of his season ending injury. Personally, i really like Greentree, and would put him in that tier, but i get that his skating is an issue. Also like the Norwegian, who's game has some things in common with Connelly.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

What is his future position?
Center or left winger?

Right winger

 

[William H Bonney]

Most have these guys ahead of him; Celebrini, Demidov, Catton, Helenius, Lindstrom, Dickinson, Levshunov, Silayev, Eiserman, Parekh, Buium, Yakemchuk.

After that, i would say that Iginla is in about the same tier. Jiricek, too, though it's hard to know how to rank a guy like that because of his season ending injury. Personally, i really like Greentree, and would put him in that tier, but i get that his skating is an issue. Also like the Norwegian, who's game has some things in common with Connelly.

That's fair but I don't think the statement top 10 talent means a player will go top 10. Some drafts have more than 10 of them.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Highest (directly) drafted USHL proper (non USNTDP) players per year

2023: Michael Hrabel (G - 2nd round, 43rd overall)
2022: Cameron Lund (C - 2nd round, 34th overall)
2021: Cole Sillinger* (C - 1st round, 12th overall) (* Loaned from WHL, COVID year)
2020: Brendan Brisson (C - 1st round, 29th overall)
2019: Ryan Johnson (D - 1st round, 31st overall)
2018: Jack Drury (C - 2nd round, 42nd overall)
2017: Casey Mittelstadt (C - 1st round, 8th overall) (also played his MN HS season)
2016: Riley Tuffe (LW - 1st round, 25h overall)
2015: Kyle Connor (LW - 1st round, 17th overall)
2014: Nick Schmaltz (C - 1st round, 20th overall)
2013: Ian McCoshen (D - 2nd round, 31st overall)
2012: Zemgus Girgensons (C - 1st round, 14th overall)
2011: Scott Mayfield (D - 2nd round, 34th overall)
2010: Jaden Schwartz (C - 1st round, 14th overall)
2009: Louis Leblanc (C - 1st round, 18th overall)
2008: John Carlson (D - 1st round, 27th overall)
2007: Mac Paccioretty (LW - 1st round, 22nd overall)
2006: Kyle Okposo (RW - 1st round, 7th overall)
2005: Joe Finley (D - 1st round, 27th overall)

 

[57special]

That's fair but I don't think the statement top 10 talent means a player will go top 10. Some drafts have more than 10 of them.

It's a weird draft, in that there are some guys with really high ceilings, but possibly low floors, like Parekh, Greentree, and Sennecke, maybe even Jiricek.

 

[Blueston]

You are picking and choosing what is deserving of more offense. That’s my problem with this type of argument.

Either both of their careers should be ruined or neither.

Otherwise, what’s stopping someone to say they take more personal offense to what Connelly did?

This becomes a slippery slope.

We walk on slippery slopes all the time.

There is clearly a difference between going 42 in a 35 and running over a pedestrian while going 66 in a 35, even though both drivers were speeding. Repeated abuse of a vulnerable child and failure to take any real responsibility for it seems a helluva lot worse than posting something stupid on the internet and almost instantly regretting it and seeking to make amends. Now if there is more that Connelly has done than has been reported, which I wouldn't rule out, the level of outrage towards him may well amp up.

 

[Favin]

Highest (directly) drafted USHL proper (non USNTDP) players per year

2023: Michael Hrabel (G - 2nd round, 43rd overall)
2022: Cameron Lund (C - 2nd round, 34th overall)
2021: Cole Sillinger* (C - 1st round, 12th overall) (* Loaned from WHL, COVID year)
2020: Brendan Brisson (C - 1st round, 29th overall)
2019: Ryan Johnson (D - 1st round, 31st overall)
2018: Jack Drury (C - 2nd round, 42nd overall)
2017: Casey Mittelstadt (C - 1st round, 8th overall) (also played his MN HS season)
2016: Riley Tuffe (LW - 1st round, 25h overall)
2015: Kyle Connor (LW - 1st round, 17th overall)
2014: Nick Schmaltz (C - 1st round, 20th overall)
2013: Ian McCoshen (D - 2nd round, 31st overall)
2012: Zemgus Girgensons (C - 1st round, 14th overall)
2011: Scott Mayfield (D - 2nd round, 34th overall)
2010: Jaden Schwartz (C - 1st round, 14th overall)
2009: Louis Leblanc (C - 1st round, 18th overall)
2008: John Carlson (D - 1st round, 27th overall)
2007: Mac Paccioretty (LW - 1st round, 22nd overall)
2006: Kyle Okposo (RW - 1st round, 7th overall)
2005: Joe Finley (D - 1st round, 27th overall)

2023: Adam Fantilli, 3rd overall; Brindley, 34rd (Leonard 8th)
2022: Savoie, 9th overall; Rinzel, 25th (Cooley, 3rd; Gauthier 5th)
2021: Owen Power, 1st overall
2020: Brendan Brisson, 29th overall (Sanderson, 5th)
2019: Ryan Johnson, 31st overall (Hughes 1st; Turcotte, 5th, Zegras 9th)
2018: Andrei Svenchnikov, 2nd overall (Tkachuk, 4th; Hughes 7th)
2017: Casey Mittelstadt, 8th overall
2016: Riley Tufte, 25th overall (Matthews 1st, Tkachuk 6th)
2015: Ivan Provorov, 7th overall (Eichel, 2nd; Hanifin, 5th; Werenski 8th)
2014: Tony DeAngelo, 19th overall
2013: Adam Erne, 33rd overall; Gunetzel 77th (Jones, 4th)
2012: Zemgus Girgensons, 14th overall (Trouba 9th)
2011: Jamie Oleksiak, 14th overall
2010: Jaden Schwartz, 14th overall
2009: John Moore, 21st overall
2008: John Carlson, 27th overall
2007: Max Pacioretty, 22nd overall (Kane, 1st; JvR, 2nd)
2006: Kyle Okposo, 7th overall (Erik Johnson, 1st overall)
2005: TJ Oshie, 24th overall (Jack Johnson, 3rd overall)
2004: Blake Wheeler, 4th overall

I am not sure the point here...but there are clearly some missing names. Many of these players have chosen to attend NCAA, turn pro or play at NTDP...but overall, it rivals any junior league in the world in development.

 

[Favin]

Most have these guys ahead of him; Celebrini, Demidov, Catton, Helenius, Lindstrom, Dickinson, Levshunov, Silayev, Eiserman, Parekh, Buium, Yakemchuk.

After that, i would say that Iginla is in about the same tier. Jiricek, too, though it's hard to know how to rank a guy like that because of his season ending injury. Personally, i really like Greentree, and would put him in that tier, but i get that his skating is an issue. Also like the Norwegian, who's game has some things in common with Connelly.

The public rankings likely aren't reflecting where he is viewed by scouts. All the off-ice stuff, and being on teams no draft lists, brings the average down. Without the history, and maybe little stockier build, he could be top-3 player in this draft...maybe even candidate for 1st overall. But with it...who knows how far he drops. Someone could get great value in middle of 1st. And I think Nate Leaman will be good match for his development.

 

[Leonardo87]

Hey Folks,

Please keep the thread on topic. This is not the Mitchell Miller thread, thanks.

 

[Pink Mist]

An investigation into his background was released by The Athletic this morning. Not sure if it's any new information to you folks, but to me it's red flag after red flag from him and his camp regarding his behaviour (seems like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree with his parents)
Teams should definitely do some heavy due diligence before putting him on their draft board

Who will draft Trevor Connelly? Inside the NHL's evolving scrutiny of top prospects

 

[Dux917]

An investigation into his background was released by The Athletic this morning. Not sure if it's any new information to you folks, but to me it's red flag after red flag from him and his camp regarding his behaviour (seems like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree with his parents)
Teams should definitely do some heavy due diligence before putting him on their draft board

Who will draft Trevor Connelly? Inside the NHL's evolving scrutiny of top prospects

Agree, lots of this is troubling and agree that his parents I don't think will win any parenting awards. The question will be for his college and NHL teams, is do they believe him that he is really working to change and understand his past actions (the ones that are true). From some of the quotes from the people in the organizations he's been working with - he has.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

There’s something wrong with Katie Strang. She always does this. Another whose mission is to cancel people in sports. Must make her feel whole to wake up everyday and find someone new’s life to ruin.

Writing a hit piece on a 17 year old is pathetic. Referring to allegations from when he was 11 shows how unserious that article is. The majority of quotes are unnamed sources. Trashing a 17 year old kid anonymously as an adult for the purposes of a hit piece is the person who needs to be condemned.

Interviewing travel hockey parents, are you kidding? The travel hockey parents can sometimes be more immature than their children.

Through all of it they revealed that he was bullied, and it doesn’t seem like anyone really denies it. Stuff like that is real life. People on the internet act like these incidents are always so one sided. If he’s bullied, should he go home and cry under his bed or should he fight back? There are also plenty who defended him in the piece, and used their name. I wonder why these unnamed sources couldn’t use their name. Are they real?

The whole hit piece is vague, uses unnamed sources to defame a 17 year old, and is written with a tone of description to make him the next cancelled hockey player. Really sick stuff, and not from Connelly.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

There’s something wrong with Katie Strang. She always does this. Another whose mission is to cancel people in sports. Must make her feel whole to wake up everyday and find someone new’s life to ruin.

Writing a hit piece on a 17 year old is pathetic. Referring to allegations from when he was 11 shows how unserious that article is. The majority of quotes are unnamed sources. Trashing a 17 year old kid anonymously as an adult for the purposes of a hit piece is the person who needs to be condemned.

Interviewing travel hockey parents, are you kidding? The travel hockey parents can sometimes be more immature than their children.

Through all of it they revealed that he was bullied, and it doesn’t seem like anyone really denies it. Stuff like that is real life. People on the internet act like these incidents are always so one sided. If he’s bullied, should he go home and cry under his bed or should he fight back? There are also plenty who defended him in the piece, and used their name. I wonder why these unnamed sources couldn’t use their name. Are they real?

The whole hit piece is vague, uses unnamed sources to defame a 17 year old, and is written with a tone of description to make him the next cancelled hockey player. Really sick stuff, and not from Connelly.

I'm pretty sure you've blocked me because we don't agree on much, but I think this is well said.

It's one thing to be critical of stuff done as a 17-18 year old, but I feel like any younger than that, and it starts to get really tough to justify ruining a kids future for insensitive behavior.

 

[Michoulicious]

An investigation into his background was released by The Athletic this morning. Not sure if it's any new information to you folks, but to me it's red flag after red flag from him and his camp regarding his behaviour (seems like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree with his parents)
Teams should definitely do some heavy due diligence before putting him on their draft board

Who will draft Trevor Connelly? Inside the NHL's evolving scrutiny of top prospects

That is way too many red flags.

Possibly top 3 best forward on talent alone in this draft... After reading that I'd not draft him. PR nightmare.

 

[Pink Mist]

I'm pretty sure you've blocked me because we don't agree on much, but I think this is well said.

It's one thing to be critical of stuff done as a 17-18 year old, but I feel like any younger than that, and it starts to get really tough to justify ruining a kids future for insensitive behavior.

Because it shows a pattern of behaviour and that its not isolated incidents from when they're 17-18

 

[Oscar The Grouch]

There’s something wrong with Katie Strang. She always does this. Another whose mission is to cancel people in sports. Must make her feel whole to wake up everyday and find someone new’s life to ruin.

Writing a hit piece on a 17 year old is pathetic. Referring to allegations from when he was 11 shows how unserious that article is. The majority of quotes are unnamed sources. Trashing a 17 year old kid anonymously as an adult for the purposes of a hit piece is the person who needs to be condemned.

Interviewing travel hockey parents, are you kidding? The travel hockey parents can sometimes be more immature than their children.

Through all of it they revealed that he was bullied, and it doesn’t seem like anyone really denies it. Stuff like that is real life. People on the internet act like these incidents are always so one sided. If he’s bullied, should he go home and cry under his bed or should he fight back? There are also plenty who defended him in the piece, and used their name. I wonder why these unnamed sources couldn’t use their name. Are they real?

The whole hit piece is vague, uses unnamed sources to defame a 17 year old, and is written with a tone of description to make him the next cancelled hockey player. Really sick stuff, and not from Connelly.

Absolutely no one cares about your take on this.

Remember when you lost your mind that Luke Prokop became the first openly gay player under NHL contract? That is was worthy of any news story or discussion at all? You showed your true cards.

Disgusting and sick.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Absolutely no one cares about your take on this.

Remember when you lost your mind that Luke Prokop became the first openly gay player under NHL contract? That is was worthy of any news story or discussion at all? You showed your true cards.

Disgusting and sick.

Proof? Because I don't remember that.

If you are going to throw out a serious accusation, you have to back it up.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

There’s something wrong with Katie Strang. She always does this. Another whose mission is to cancel people in sports. Must make her feel whole to wake up everyday and find someone new’s life to ruin.

Writing a hit piece on a 17 year old is pathetic. Referring to allegations from when he was 11 shows how unserious that article is. The majority of quotes are unnamed sources. Trashing a 17 year old kid anonymously as an adult for the purposes of a hit piece is the person who needs to be condemned.

Interviewing travel hockey parents, are you kidding? The travel hockey parents can sometimes be more immature than their children.

Through all of it they revealed that he was bullied, and it doesn’t seem like anyone really denies it. Stuff like that is real life. People on the internet act like these incidents are always so one sided. If he’s bullied, should he go home and cry under his bed or should he fight back? There are also plenty who defended him in the piece, and used their name. I wonder why these unnamed sources couldn’t use their name. Are they real?

The whole hit piece is vague, uses unnamed sources to defame a 17 year old, and is written with a tone of description to make him the next cancelled hockey player. Really sick stuff, and not from Connelly.

So the real problem here is a respected reporter doing due diligence? And you're insinuating that she fabricated sources? Where's your evidence?

You're an absolutely disgraceful poster and it's clear you made up your mind about this well before you even opened the article. This is basically just repackaged Gamergate bullshit from you.