Knights take controversial forward in 1st round of NHL draft

Trevor Connelly understands he made mistakes as a kid. The 18-year-old is determined to show he’s a different person now and reward the faith the Golden Knights put in him Friday at Sphere.

Connelly, a left wing from the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League, was taken by the Knights with the 19th overall pick in the first round of the NHL draft.

The 6-foot-1, 160-pound forward is a strong playmaker and scored 78 points in 52 games last season. He comes with off-ice questions, however.

Connelly posted a picture to Snapchat in 2022 of a teammate sitting in a children’s area of a library with building blocks assembled in the shape of a swastika.

In 2021, he was accused of directing a racial slur toward an opponent. Discipline was not upheld by the California Amateur Hockey Association because the allegation could not be corroborated.

“I think it’s just trust that’s been the biggest thing for me. Being with people you trust, putting yourself in situations that you trust,” Connelly said. “That’s been the biggest thing for me throughout this process and not putting myself in the past and moving forward.”

The Tustin, California, native said he talked to the Knights at the scouting combine in June in Buffalo.

General manager Kelly McCrimmon said the team talked to Connelly as recently as a few days ago.

“I think they were high on character and I think they did a lot of research and a lot of digging,” Connelly said. “I don’t think they would’ve picked me if they didn’t think I was the right fit for the organization.”

Connelly said he’s done extensive work in the community to try to grow as a person. The Providence commit said he would like to one day help grow the game with kids of color and those who can’t afford equipment.

“These are programs (Providence, Tri-City, the Knights) that don’t take low-character people,” Connelly said. “The teams really got to know me as a person.”

McCrimmon said the Knights’ conversations with Connelly focused on his growth and his recognition of his mistakes.

Connelly didn’t dodge any questions and was transparent about his actions, McCrimmon said.

The Knights wanted to come away Friday with a highly skilled player after trading away their first-round picks in the 2025 and 2026 drafts. Connelly fit that bill. McCrimmon said Connelly’s playmaking is “elite.”

“His skating is exceptional,” McCrimmon said. “He has to get bigger and stronger. He’s going to have to develop physically and it’s not something that takes place between now and September.

“When players have that room for that type of growth, it puts more upside in the discussion. In Trevor’s case, he has a lot of room to make himself a better player just by becoming stronger physically and (continuing) to mature physically.”

McCrimmon said the Knights didn’t have any interest in moving up in the draft, but did receive some calls about trading down.

They’ll have a long wait until their next pick. The Knights aren’t scheduled to select until the sixth round, 180th overall, on Day 2 of the draft Saturday. They also have the 197th and 212th picks in the seventh round.

McCrimmon said the team may explore moving up in the middle of the draft if it gives its scouts another opportunity to select a player they like.

Right now, even with the off-ice questions, the Knights are pleased with the player they selected Friday.

Connelly will be at the team’s development camp when it starts Monday. He hopes to begin his NHL journey there and begin to put his past behind him.

“Vegas, how much trust they showed me, especially by picking me, means so much to me,” Connelly said. “I’m honestly the happiest ever with where I got picked.”

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.