Rookie Trevor Connelly Gives Golden Knights Rare Homegrown Star Power

Ten seasons after entering the NHL, the Vegas Golden Knights were widely expected to be built around a core of players they drafted and developed themselves. The opposite has happened. For nearly a decade, the club has traded away most of its top prospects and draft picks in exchange for proven, impactful veterans.

That approach has produced one of the league's most star-studded rosters and a Stanley Cup title in 2023. The trade-off is that fans have seldom had the chance to follow a highly regarded young player from the minor leagues to a breakout in the NHL.

This season may change that. Vegas has won six of its first eight games, and a major contributor is a type of player the franchise has rarely featured: a star rookie. Trevor Connelly, 20, has four goals and three assists and was recently moved onto the team's top power-play unit.

Teammate Mitch Marner said he is not surprised by the quick start. "I have such confidence in him," Marner said. "He's such a good player. You see it on the daily, just the plays he makes."

Connelly's most notable moment does not appear in his statistics because it came in a shootout. After regulation and a five-minute overtime period, he beat goalie Sergei Bobrovsky with a backhand to give Vegas a 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 8 at T-Mobile Arena. Coach Ryan Craig, who coached Connelly for one full season and part of another with the Henderson Silver Knights, said he had no hesitation sending him out. "I've seen him do that at the American Hockey League level," Craig said.

His shot may be his greatest strength, but he is showing other skills as well. His first NHL goal came in a 5-2 opening-night victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, when he established himself in front of the net.

Connelly was a controversial pick at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, held at the Sphere. He was seen as more talented than the No. 19 overall slot where Vegas selected him, but character concerns tied to several incidents in his youth-hockey career followed him. The Golden Knights said they did thorough research and were comfortable with the choice. No problems have been reported since he turned professional, and teammates have praised his work ethic and desire to improve.

Craig initially said he would give Connelly a look with NHL players at training camp. The rookie quickly showed he belonged. "Especially in your first year, every game is a learning lesson," Marner said, adding that Connelly has done well at applying lessons to the next game.

Marner, 29, has become a mentor. Connelly called the relationship "surreal" because he looked up to the veteran from a distance only a few years ago. He has stuck close to Marner on road trips and was invited to dinner with Marner's family at their Las Vegas home. On the power play, Connelly said his mindset is simple: "Just got to be ready at all times, stick on the ice, and think, next time when I get a chance, this is going in the net."