Trevor Connelly

Born in Tustin and spending part of his childhood in Modesto, Trevor Connelly moved from roller hockey to the ice at age eight. He developed through various amateur settings in California before entering junior ranks, a period notable for an unusual number of team changes between 2020 and 2022.

Connelly signed with the Tri‑City Storm of the USHL in March 2022 and made an immediate impact. He scored his first USHL goal early on and put together an 18‑game point streak — the longest in Storm history — while also becoming one of only two Storm players to net goals in seven straight contests. His rookie totals were 24 goals and 47 points, a performance that earned him second‑team all‑rookie recognition.

The 2023–24 campaign saw Connelly elevate his production to 31 goals and 78 points in 52 games, ranking among the league leaders and finishing as the Storm's leader in goals, assists, points and shots. He left the USHL with 125 points and 60 goals for Tri‑City, marks that stand near the top of the franchise record book. The Vegas Golden Knights selected him 19th overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft; he signed a three‑year entry‑level contract on April 1, 2025, and made the Golden Knights' roster out of training camp, scoring his first NHL goal in the opening game of the 2026–27 season against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Internationally, Connelly has been a prominent scorer for U.S. junior teams. He led the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup with five goals and ten points in five games, and at the 2023 World Junior A Challenge he recorded four goals in the bronze‑medal game and finished the event with eleven points. At the 2024 IIHF U18 Championship he contributed offensively throughout the tournament but was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct in the final, an incident that affected the momentum of the gold‑medal game.

On the ice his game is defined by speed, playmaking vision and on‑ice IQ, traits cited by scouts and reflected in his USHL numbers. Ahead of the draft, some evaluators also pointed to multiple controversial incidents from his youth and junior career; Connelly has noted participation in volunteer work and diversity training as part of his response while continuing his development as a player.