‘The full package’ Connelly has interesting draft case for Flyers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Despite overachieving for the majority of the 2023-24 season, the Flyers still have a rebuilding mindset. The club’s decision-makers know there’s a need for more talent and that the entry draft remains the best avenue to acquire it.
“The bulk of it still needs to be done through our young guys, mostly through the draft,” general manager Danny Briere said in April.
The Flyers will have a good opportunity to augment their future when the 2024 NHL draft arrives June 28-29 at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Like last summer, the Flyers have 10 picks, including two first-rounders. Barring a trade, they’ll make their top overall selection at No. 12. Briere believes the Flyers “can get a very talented player” at that spot.
In the first round of the 2023 draft, the Flyers took a swing on Matvei Michkov at No. 7 and grabbed Oliver Bonk at No. 22. They should also have two first-round picks in 2025.
Leading up to the 2024 draft, we’re breaking down targets for the Flyers at No. 12.
Next up:
Trevor Connelly
Position: Winger
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 160
Shoots: Left
Team: Tri-City Storm
Scouting report
Behind superb length and skill, Connelly is a dazzling offensive player.
He put up a USHL-best 1.50 points per game this season with 31 goals and 47 assists in 52 games for Tri-City. He had 23 multi-point games, while his 240 shots led the league and his 78 points were second most.
The Providence commit is difficult to contain in transition as his speed and elusiveness take over.
“Highly skilled, highly talented player,” Dan Marr, the vice president of NHL Central Scouting, said a little under three weeks ago in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “He’s got that get up and go, that drive and energy to his game. He’s one of these players that will be very good playing alongside pros. He plays the game at such a high pace that he’s making plays where some of his teammates still haven’t caught up to him on the play.”
At the 2024 IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship a month and a half ago, Connelly had nine points (four goals, five assists) and a plus-7 rating in seven games on a U.S. team that took home silver medals.
But teams may be hesitant to take Connelly because of some off-the-ice concerns, which he discussed last summer in a story by Jordan McAlpine of The Rink Live….