Connor Hvidston – 2022 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Connor Hvidston

2021-22 Team: Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
Date of Birth: September 11, 2004
Place of Birth: Tisdale, SK, Canada
Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 165 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Left Wing
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2022 first-year eligible

Rankings

Connor Hvidston was impressive in his first go-around in the Western Hockey League (WHL) as the 17-year-old Tisdale, SK native finished the season with a solid 13 goals and 32 points in 58 games. Selected 133rd overall by the Broncos in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft and ninth overall by the Melfort Mustangs in the SJHL Bantam Draft, he played for the Yorkton Maulers U18 AAA team in SMAAAHL during the 2020-21 season where he had 12 points in seven games.

Related: THW’s FREE 2022 NHL Draft Guide

Transitioning to the WHL in 2021-22, he started his career with a bang with his first WHL point in his first WHL game when he recorded an assist in his team’s 2-0 shutout win against the Medicine Hat Tigers on Oct. 1, 2021. He then followed that up with his first goal 18 days later against those same Tigers in a 5-4 overtime loss. Recently named the Broncos’ Rookie of the Year, Hvidston has a nose for the net and a pretty good shot off the rush. He also has some grit to his game.

As one of the youngest players in this draft at 17 years old, it’s no surprise that he’s not ranked by a lot of outlets right now. However, that doesn’t mean he should be looked over as a possible late-round pick. In fact, he should be selected based on his defensive game alone. On a bad team in Swift Current, scouts were impressed with his ability to carry the load in his own zone when the rest of his squad seemed to forget the word “defense”. His offensive game is still a work in progress, but based on the video I saw, his shot and hands around the net could potentially be translated to the pro level at some point. However, it’s difficult to judge based on just one season in the WHL. As such, it’s going to be interesting to see how much he progresses in the coming seasons as he doesn’t turn 18 until mid-September.

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Connor Hvidston – NHL Draft Projection

As I mentioned at the outset, Hvidston is not highly thought of in the prospect community right now. However, considering his polished defensive game, he could get some love in the fourth or fifth round. Peter and I have him going later in the fourth at 125th and 111th respectively, so we will see if an NHL…