The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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"You see what Dylan Larkin did with 47 points as a freshman, which is kind of unheard of, and then Kyle comes in and puts up 71 points. That's not something a lot of people have done in college hockey, let alone freshmen." His offensive instincts were what set him apart, head coach Red Berenson said during the season. Berenson called him a "[Wayne] Gretzky-type player" who knows where the puck's going to go and is always jumping in the hole where he knows it's headed. Kile admitted he'd never played with anyone quite like Connor. "He's a special player, probably the best offensive player I've ever played with," Kile said. "He's so quick, has a good shot and unbelievable hands. He's just got it all offensively. "He's going to play in the NHL someday. It could be next year, two years from now, but he's going to be a good player in the NHL." Connor led the nation in scoring and became the first freshman in college hockey to record 30 goals since Thomas Vanek (Minnesota) in 2002-03. He has high hopes for his professional career and is working to accomplish his goal of making the Jets in his first year removed from college. "That's the goal for next season — having a good offseason and trying to make the lineup and definitely having an impact on the Jets," Connor said in a conference call after signing. "Try to help them get back into the playoffs and see that whiteout at the MTS Centre." Only two other 19-year-olds, former Wolverine Jacob Trouba and Nikolaj Ehlers, have ever cracked the Jets' lineup. "Obviously this summer is going to be huge for me," Connor said. "I'm going to put a lot of time in the weight room and just build my overall endurance up and strength and just try to get more explosive and ready for that next step. "I'm getting stronger, bigger, faster and that comes with working out." Connor got a glimpse of the competition when he played at the men's world championship with Team USA, though he was injured only two games into the slate. He registered two assists to help USA finish fourth in St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia, in May. He credited Michigan for helping prepare him for his next step. The Jets, meanwhile, are thrilled to get him. "Obviously, we're real excited about the year he had and we're real proud to have him as part of our organization," Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff told The Winnipeg Sun. "He certainly made a lot of headlines, but there were improvements, in leaps and bounds, in his game. Off the ice, from a maturity standpoint, from a play standpoint … that spoke for itself. "What it means going forward? It's another player now that you add into the mix." The rest is up to Connor, but the body of work to date indicates he'll be the next former Wolverine to enjoy great success at the next level. ❏