Inside Wheeler’s Shocking Summer 2025 NHL Prospect Rankings: Who’s the True Future Star?
Connelly is a high-end talent who has room to develop physically and add strength, and whose slight build doesn’t hold back his shot (which uses a quick release to fool goalies, although his one-touch shots in the slot do often lack power) or his skating (which is really fast and pretty fluid even without the muscle/power that’s coming). I like his work rate off the puck. He possesses borderline elite hands and his on-puck movement at speed, offensive-zone small-area skill and touch as a passer all also get high grades as he regularly makes difficult skill plays in tight coverage and finds his way out of trouble or through traffic. He’s a dynamic one-on-one player who can turn defenders and goalies inside out with his hands and uses quick crossovers and a light skating stride to be agile on cuts, jumps and changes of direction. He’s creative. He’s as comfortable playing off his backhand as he is his forehand. He plays pucks under sticks and into space as well as anyone in his age group. And while he can try to do too much, force one-on-one plays into congested areas or be too cute, you live with it because of how often he makes something out of nothing. The big developmental leap he’ll have to make is in his decision-making and discipline. He’s not going to always be able to look for the pretty play as he progresses up levels, but Connelly’s ability to beat players laterally and shake around and through coverage, combined with his playmaking sense, gives him top-six, PP NHL upside. He’s an imperfect player and can frustrate, but the talent is there.
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