Kyle Connor has been drafted by the Winnipeg Jets with the 17th pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
Connor, who played for the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL last year, put up 34 goals and 46 assists for 80 points in 56 games this past season on the left wing.
Here's what Elite Prospects say about him:
A dynamic two-way center with speed and creativity to burn. Consistently displays elite-level skating ability, and an astonishing top speed. Sees the ice very well and is constantly looking to either score or make a player; the confidence he has in his abilities lets him do things with the puck that other players wouldn't even try. Skillful puckhandling skills, paired with a deceptively accurate shot, make him a lethal scoring threat. His will to compete and, ultimately, win fuels his defensive game; he tracks the puck well and creates a lot of turnovers. All-in-all, a highly skilled, proactive center that can dominate in all three zones. – Curtis Joe
Connor has recently been recruited by the University of Michigan, the same team that fellow Jet Jacob Trouba played for in college. Connor had 195 points in his three seasons with Youngstown, and this past year was the highest scoring player on the best regular season team in the USHL.
Connor was ranked higher than 17th on pretty much every draft board going in, including as high as 5th by Hockeyprospect.com
Wing has been an area of need in terms of Jets organizational depth, and Connor projects to be a top-line forward in the near future.
