The Jets' hopes and the Kyle Connor hype
Adam Wazny | for CBC News | Posted: March 20, 2016 10:44 PM | Last Updated: March 20, 2016
The future was trending hot in Winnipeg over the weekend.
If you haven't heard of Kyle Connor by now you're either a) regrettably focused on the current situation of the Winnipeg Jets and wondering what the last five years has meant, or b) trapped under a fridge with no cell phone or Wi-Fi access for the last four to five months.
The 19-year-old, taken with the 17th pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, has garnered a lot of attention recently. His play over the weekend was certainly a point of conversation and a social media starter leading up to the Jets 3-2 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks at the MTS Centre Sunday afternoon.
Wrapping up his freshman year at the University of Michigan, the 6-foot-1, 177-pound centre has 35 goals and 69 points in 36 games this season. He's averaging nearly two points a game. On Saturday, he was in on every Wolverines goal as Michigan topped the Minnesota Golden Gophers 4-3 to claim the Big 10 title.
Connor's weekend: two playoff games, eight points. Yep, there could be lots to look forward to, Jets fans.
Connor has drawn comparisons to Jack Eichel and even Patrick Kane. He's not the fastest skater, he doesn't have the hardest shot and his 200-foot game still could use some refinement (he is only 19, after all), but what Connor does have — what's been pretty apparent if you've searched out a few Michigan games this season — is his ability to mentally process the game instantly.
Oh yeah. He's a finalist for the Hobey Baker award, given to the top player in NCAA hockey. Don't bet against Connor winning that, by the way.
The focus on him is certainly justified and if Connor decides to leave school once his season wraps up (no decision has been made in this regard, though it would be a shock if he chose to stay at Michigan), signs with the Jets and eventually settles into the NHL game at the level that's expected of him, then let the good times roll.
As is the case with all young players, only time will tell if he lives up to the attention. You've seen this muted expectation sentiment expressed on this webpage before; draft picks and prospects are lottery tickets until their numbers are finally called. Your local hype men are just that — promotion and white noise.
Interestingly, though not surprising, Connor has been the perfect distraction for the Jets this season, hitting the exact same notes as Nikolaj Ehlers and the increased offensive production of Mark Scheifele through the last month of meaningless, pressure-free hockey.
In real time, the public salivation over Connor has been a gift for the Jets (and by way of proxy, the media messengers), as speculation (or anticipation) about what's off in the distance continues to be a major driver in this hockey market. Oh, and don't forget season ticket renewals are coming up again.
There was excitement when the Jets first drafted Scheifele, and when he and Jacob Trouba became NHL regulars. There's excitement about Connor Hellebuyck (though apparently not enough in the organization for him to warrant a look as the club plays out the string). There is excitement about Ehlers, Joel Armia, and Brendan Lemieux, too, and come this summer, there will be even more excitement about the next round of prospects the Jets select at the draft.
One can't deny that Connor has looked great as a freshman. No doubt other clubs are wishing they took him when they had the chance — he's displayed that height of ceiling in his game.
But as it stands right now, this next-level, over-the-top anticipation about Connor shouldn't be viewed as anything more than the standard operational procedure for everything surrounding this franchise through the last five seasons.
For some reason, the future has always carried more value than the present.