If this kid fell to the Wings in the 2nd, I'd draft him. I've seen him anywhere from top 10 to 27. It is an odd draft, but if this kid has unquestionable top 5 talent, I take him at 15. One scout said he is the 2nd best player in the draft. IF that is true, I take him at 15. My concern is his weight. One report said he was under 160. I'd pass just to keep Jaster from a stroke.
Breaking down the National Enquirer forever tail these kids get from the Internet.
I haven't seen anything about crap in a bag, so I will leave that aside. I will say, I've seen top players in the Nation do some real dumb sh** (hahaha) in the past. It just wasn't the day of the Internet.
Swastika - His teammate made the symbol with books at a library. He took a photo of it and post is on Snapchat. He then thought better of it and took it down, within minutes. However, someone took a screen shot of it and sent it around. Dumb, sure. Malicious, now. Did he pay a price for it? Yes, a very heavy price in the hockey world. He also went on a journey of self education and a better understanding of the topic. How many 16 year olds do you know that would take this mature approach to the issue?
Racial slur - The forever topic about anything uttered at all by any white person. This was before juniors and, after being suspended and going through a trail of BS, was completely exonerated. It is criminal that this hangs over him, but that is the Internet. Even in this area, with complete vindication, he has worked to remove the black cloud.
"He's probably the second-best player after Mack Celebrini in the U.S.," said one scout. "Uber-talented, makes everyone else on the ice better, very smart, fast, good skill, high IQ, good vision. He checks all the boxes. It's going to be one of those deals where you have to kick it up the ladder and your manager is going to have to make a decision. All we can do is vet the kid. He's a top-10 talent."
Swastika:
Although the post was deleted minutes later, the photo was screen-shotted by someone first and has since circulated over the past 17 months.
Make no mistake, Connelly is the first to admit he regrets posting the photo and quickly felt the consequences.
While it’d be easy to say he was just an ignorant 16-year-old kid, Connelly has owned up to it and used it as a way to better himself.
“I wanted to learn from it and educate myself,” he said. “I visited the LA Holocaust Museum and I also read the book, 'Night' (by Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel). That gave me a much better understanding of why the post and the swastika symbol are so hurtful, and that antisemitism is still a big problem today.
“Knowing what I know now, I would never post something like that and I regret doing it.”
Racial slur (that never occurred):
Jazmine Miley, Hockey Players of Color founder
Along with the photo, there have also been rumblings of another incident, where Connelly allegedly used a racial slur towards an opponent during a game in 2021. However, Connelly adamantly denied those allegations.
Connelly was initially suspended for the accusation but it was ultimately lifted and removed from his record by the California Amateur Hockey Association. After a hearing with the CAHA, it was determined no violation occurred.
Connelly reiterated he’s committed to being the best person he can be on and off the ice. He’s taken several diversity, equity and inclusion training courses and has done over many hours of volunteer community service work — several of which came during the season.
"Trevor was as impressive of a 16-year-old from a maturity standpoint that I've seen in this league," Tri-City head coach Anthony Noreen told The Rink Live.
"I can tell you from every single facet of our organization — billet families, fan interaction, community service, players, staff, ownership — everything. The overwhelming sentiment of Trevor has been positive. Every single community outreach event that our organization was involved in, Trevor was there. He wasn't told that he had to be, but he made it a point to do it. He did every single thing we asked of him and more."
He’s also now involved with Hockey Players of Color, a group that’s geared towards making hockey more inclusive and a better place — something Connelly said he wants to do.
"Oftentimes you have people who don't understand other people's culture and they don't realize how certain things impact them or how having that extra insight and perspective on the world itself can benefit them," said Jazmine Miley, the founder of Hockey Players of Color.
I have zero clue if he is the 2nd best or 30th best player in the draft, but I wouldn't stay away from him because of character.
Remember when Kane wore black face and it was called a racial incident.....
When we tweeted last night about local coverage of the Chicago Blackhawks Halloween Party, we did so...
sports.yahoo.com
... or when he beat up a 62 year old cab driver over 20 cents?
In August 2009, the hockey world was shocked by the news that star player Patrick Kane had been arrested in Buffalo, NY, along with his cousin James.
www.sportskeeda.com
Funny how his character isn't called into question.
I don't pretend to know everything about the kid, I'm just saying this stuff appears way overblown and his acts of contrition go well beyond what others have done who were actually more malicious or, you know, actually committed the act for which they were accused.
Heck I hope he IS the 2nd best player in the draft and his punishment is for him to drop all the way to 15, hell 47! LOL!