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shutdown · 06-05-2019, 02:02 PM

2x draft media (1028 word count)

With the S48 SHL Draft quickly approaching, we wanted to sit down with Nick Connolly who seems to have no consensus position in early mock drafts. Connolly, a playmaking left winger, hails from the United States where he played college hockey with Boston College. It seems most head offices are unsure of Connolly’s ability to translate from the minors to the pros. After being picked a surprisingly early sixth in the S47 SMJHL Entry Draft by the Anaheim Outlaws, Connolly had a relatively quiet rookie season. He only tallied two goals and eight assists while playing all 50 games this season. He wasn’t much better in the playoffs where he only scored one goal and had one assist in 18 games. Anaheim went on to win the Four Star Cup despite Connolly’s lackluster performance on the third line after being promoted from the fourth line late in the season. Connolly has seemingly improved his passing quite a bit throughout the season and is one of the best on Anaheim in that regard. However, some GMs are concerned about his strength on the puck as he’s knocked off it pretty easily. One wonders if that will come in time as he becomes older and starts to pack on muscle. We asked Connolly a few questions on what he thinks are his strengths, what he needs to work on in the off-season, and about his rookie season with the Outlaws.

Interviewer: Nick, thanks for taking the time to sit down with us today. How would you say your first season went as a rookie in the SMJHL?

Nick Connolly: Great to be here. I’d say it’s been everything I could’ve ever dreamed. Production notwithstanding. I feel like I’ve grown a lot in my first year and will continue to get better as the seasons go on. The fact that I can say I won the Four Star Cup in my first year is…incredible really. I never expected anything like that when I was drafted.

Interviewer: So I take it you enjoy your time in Anaheim?

NC: Oh yeah, for sure. I couldn’t have picked a better place to be drafted. All the guys battled for each other night in and night out and it showed. I’m proud to be an Outlaw.

Interviewer: Was the transition to more of a supporting role from your star status at Boston College an issue for you?

NC: Never. I try to stay humble, keep my head down, and grind. Day in, day out. Always trying to learn and get better. The fact I played in the bottom six didn’t affect me mentally at all. I knew there would be a huge transition coming from college.
Interviewer: So then what would you say attributed mostly to your underwhelming production?

NC: Well, a few things really. The biggest thing to me was the increased speed of the game up here in the minors along with the experience of some of the vets in the league. The game has so much more pace here than in college, which is to be expected obviously, but it’ll definitely take some time to get used to. You have to know exactly what to do with the puck before it’s even on your stick as opposed to college where you had a bigger window to make a decision. That and the experience of the vets was incredible. You think you understand the game pretty well as a rookie coming into the minors, but these vets man, they’re something else. They knew what I’d try to do before I’d do it and it showed. Definitely frustrating at times. Again, I’m confident I’ll adjust in time. This isn’t a quick process by any means.

Interviewer: Great insight into your thoughts! So on to the most exciting topic: The S48 SHL Draft. You excited?

NC: Hell yeah, I’m hyped! I’ve been waiting for this night for a long time. Dream come true.

Interviewer: I’m sure it is, as it is for most draft candidates. Any idea where you’ll go? Any teams specifically you’d be happy to see take you?

NC: No clue where I’ll go, honestly. A few GMs have reached out for some interviews but nothing ever solidified from any of those conversations. This draft seems really up in the air and there’s a lot of debate who will go where. I don’t think I’ll know where I’ll play until my name is called. It’s that kind of draft. Always exciting though! Tense for sure, but fun. As for where I’d like to play, I don’t mind any of the teams realistically. I feel like I’m a top winger in this class and will prove it to whoever drafts me. Location, team, etc…those things are all secondary. I’m just ready to prove myself.

Interviewer: Yeah, the draft does seem to be a bit crazy this season. Where do you think you should go in the draft?

NC: First overall. No question in my mind. I work hard. I have the talent and skill set. I’m always trying to learn and better myself. It shows to the GMs. It shows to fans. It shows to teammates. Will I go first overall? Probably not. But that just goes to show I have a lot still left to prove and that provides some definite motivation moving forward.

Interviewer: Anything you’d like to personally work on, or GMs have mentioned you need to work on to compete at the next level?

NC: Well, I’ll be spending a few more seasons down here in the minors but to compete in the SHL I’ll have to work on a few key areas. GMs already say my passing will most likely translate pretty well to the next level, but they’d like to see me work on my skating and edgework a bit, my defensive positioning/back checking, and putting some time into placing my shots more effectively. Can’t argue with any of those points.

Interviewer: Well, Nick. This has been fun and definitely gives some understanding as to what’s going through your head on draft day and your thoughts on the past season. Good luck tonight wherever you may end up!

DeletedAtUserRequest · 06-05-2019, 03:00 PM

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