The 18 year old is seen as a sure top-six talent, but off-ice concerns may make many teams steer clear.
Trevor Connelly's case will be a curious one on draft day.
Many have listed the 18-year-old as a potential top-10 talent in the draft, but his controversial history has seen him end up on a lot of scout's and team's "Do-Not-Draft" lists.
Two years ago, Connelly posted a photo on Snapchat of a friend posing in front of a swastika made out of children's blocks captioned "creations."
Following that, he apologized and stated he didn't understand how hurtful his actions would be to others, however that isn't the only incident he's been a part of.
According to a report in The Athletic, there was an accusation of Connelly having directed a racial slur at an opponent in a game in 2021 , but that claim was denied and a pending suspension wasn't upheld.
The top prospect has also been in and out of multiple hockey programs throughout his youth, many of those within very short time spans.
Teams are under more public scrutiny than ever when it comes to players with problematic pasts and one scout described to The Hockey News that Connelly was going to be a "hard sell."
Whether his past highlights a pattern of deeper behavioral problems or just dumb mistakes made by a child can't be said and also isn't for any one individual to say how others should feel on him either, but at the end of the day, Connelly is a very talented player and a team is going to take a shot at him.
But it should also be said that Connelly has claimed to have gone through diversity training and done volunteer work to try and make amends for his past.
On the ice, the 6-foot, 156lb left winger was one of the top scorers in the USHL with 31 goals and 78 points in 52 games.
He was also a force for Team USA at U18s with four goals and nine points in seven games, but he was assessed a major penalty for an illegal hit to the head in the third period in the goal medal game against Canada resulting in his team taking home the silver medal after the Canadians scored three goals on the power play.
“He’s uber talented,” one scout told The Hockey News. “He makes everyone else on the ice better. He’s very smart. He’s fast, has good skill and high IQ. 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 GM is going to have to make a decision. All we can do is vet the kid. He’s a top-10 talent.”
Carolina has shown before that they'll look beyond past mistakes so long as they undergo extensive vetting, so perhaps there could be a fit with the Hurricanes should he a) fall that far and b) the team feels his character isn't a bigger issue.
What are the experts saying?
Steven Ellis (Daily Faceoff): "Before his ejection in the gold-medal game ultimately sank USA at the U-18 World Championship, Connelly was one of USA’s top players. He’s so good with the puck, cycling at pace and putting up some key points alongside 2025 draft prospect LJ Mooney. Connelly’s high-end talent is undeniable – but there’s the off-ice concerns that scouts are worried about. From a skill perspective, though, Connelly is a top talent in this draft class and has the makings of someone who’ll be a top-six contributor sooner rather than later."
Rachel Doerrie (ESPN): "Connelly's eventual draft slot will be interesting; he's got all the skill to be a top player in the draft, but he finds himself on quite a few "do not draft" lists for good reason."
