Trevor Connelly has given the Vegas Golden Knights something they haven’t always gotten from their first-round picks: real confidence, real aggression, and a player who looks comfortable in the moment.
That matters in Vegas, where the franchise history with first-rounders has been a strange one. Brendan Brisson was traded to the New York Rangers.
Cody Glass was dealt. David Edstrom, Erik Brannstrom, and Zach Dean were also moved on, part of the churn that helped shape the roster into a Stanley Cup contender.
Connelly, though, is drawing a very different kind of attention.
After a strong season with the Henderson Silver Knights, the Golden Knights winger has been turning heads from both fans and the media. One post from Ryan The Hockey Guy after a 4-2 loss to the Sharks summed up the buzz: “I believe Trevor Connelly will be on the opening night roster.
His confidence with the puck is noticeable. Tonight, I thought he was great on the power play and drove play into the middle of the ice consistently.”
Even without a point in the preseason, Connelly has still made an impression. He’s been direct in attack, willing to go after the net, and putting up two to three shots per game. That edge has stood out to Golden Knights fans, especially because it’s not the kind of swagger they’ve usually seen from a first-round pick in this organization.
The comparison that keeps coming up is Brisson, and Connelly looks like the cleaner fit. Brisson got a real look in Vegas, playing 15 games in 2023-24 and producing two goals and six assists.
He also put up 19 goals and 19 assists with the Silver Knights that same year. The Golden Knights believed he could help fill a need as other players moved into contract years.
But when Brisson got his chance in the lineup, the production wasn’t there. In nine games, he finished with no goals and no assists. He was later part of the Reilly Smith trade that brought the Original Misfit home.
What stood out with Brisson was the lack of confidence. The mistakes piled up, from turnovers to penalties, and he never looked fully settled.
Connelly, by contrast, has looked like a player who belongs. The 20-year-old native of Tustin, California moves the puck with confidence, fits into the offense naturally, and gets up and down the ice without hesitation. He also brings attack and shooting ability that separates him from Brisson.
For a team that has watched so many first-round picks fade out or get moved along, Connelly has become a promising change of pace. The Providence College alumnus is handling the extra responsibility with little trouble, and that could pay off now and later for Vegas.
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Trevor Connelly, the first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, has put himself in position to stick after a strong camp and preseason run. Vegas will officially announce its opening night roster on Monday, but the early clues suggest the rookie winger has done enough to make the jump and give the Knights a fresh look right out of the gate. [Read more 🡒]