Kyle Connor Is the Most Productive Michigan Freshman in 25 Years

Submitted by stephenrjking on

We know Kyle Connor is having an amazing season. How amazing?

Kyle Connor has reached 50 points. The last Michigan freshman to reach the 50 point plateau was Brian Wiseman in 1990

— Joe (@MnBJoe) February 20, 2016

 

That's astonishing. Wiseman played in a much higher-scoring era than what we know today. Since then, the list of Michigan greats not to achieve this includes Brendan Morrison, Bill Muckalt, Mike Comrie, Mike Cammalleri, Jeff Tambellini, TJ Hensick, Kevin Porter, Max Pacioretty, and Dylan Larkin. 

Connor has a narrow lead in the scoring race over New Hampshire's Andrew Poturalski. UNH plays twice this weekend to Michigan's once (and Poturalski already has three more games played than Connor), so Connor would need a big game to stay ahead... and he netted three points tonight. He currently sits at 51 points.

For reference, Kevin Porter won the Hobey Baker award with 63 points.

That CCM line is pretty good, guys. 

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Sambojangles

February 20th, 2016 at 10:29 AM ^

I'm pretty sure NHL salaries are paid in USD, so with the drop of the Looney (from close to par a couple years ago to 72% today), his salary will go a lot further in Winnipeg than most (possibly all) other cities. 

Anyway, the NHL rookie wage scale is set anyway so he would get pretty much the same amount no matter where he plays.

Joined: 12/15/2008

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A_Maizing24

February 19th, 2016 at 10:40 PM ^

How about Motte coming from my neck of the woods in St. Clair. His brother was on the early list for Hobey a couple years ago while playing goalie for Ferris. Great family! Motte is from the same school as Cronenworth (baseball), last years B1G Tourney MVP.

Joined: 01/04/2012

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Wolverine Devotee

February 19th, 2016 at 10:44 PM ^

Michigan Hockey actually has some representation from around here now that I think of it. Every school in the UCS system has had at least one Wolverine icer.

Greg Pateryn went to Stevenson, Evan Allen went to Ford, Kyle Connor from Ike and Don and Mike Stone from my alma mater, Utica. 

Joined: 06/29/2009

MGoPoints: 31528

Quailman

February 20th, 2016 at 10:49 AM ^

NFL LB John DiGiorgio was from ST and went to Eisenhower.

Packers LB Frank Zombo went to Stevenson.

Hunwick, Pateryn, Brad Jones, Derian Hatcher, Shawn Chambers (The worst player in a Sports Video Game Ever), were all born in Sterlng Heights. 

Joined: 08/30/2013

MGoPoints: 19681

stephenrjking

February 19th, 2016 at 10:32 PM ^

Alas, no. And sometimes the wrong guy gets picked.

Infamously, TJ Hensick's meltdown in the last game of 2007 erased any chance he had of winning the award despite registering by far the best statistical season that year. As a consequence, voters looked to the best line in the nation, from North Dakota. 

On that line they had future NHL great Jonathan Toews, as well as the future solid NHLer/Ace shootout man TJ Oshie.

Naturally, they voted for future cipher Ryan Duncan. It was kind of a pitiful award that year.

Michigan has a great chance of getting three guys over 50 points, which hasn't happened since... 1997? I think. 

6 guys cleared 50 points in 1997. Haven't come close since.

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143524

stephenrjking

February 19th, 2016 at 11:34 PM ^

Eh, it's been pretty balanced. Eichel and Gaudreau are the most recent winners but both registered transcendent seasons posting stat lines college hockey hadn't seen in 10 years(Edit: Andy Miele also clears 70 points recently, and also won the award). Western guys are just as likely to have flukey wins as Eastern guys, and as unjust as the Hensick snub was (statistically) Porter's win over a dominant Nate Gerbe from BC wound up being the same thing in reverse.

Joined: 03/15/2012

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Bando Calrissian

February 19th, 2016 at 11:35 PM ^

It wasn't so much a meltdown as TJ saying a single word the mid-major referee decided he wanted to actually matter. Biggest trainwreck of a call I've seen in some time--I was in the arena. It was completely stupid.

As was that game. Because Michigan scores 2 goals in the first minute of the first two periods and still loses. 

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 68117

Sac Fly

February 19th, 2016 at 10:30 PM ^

New Hampshire sucks.

There is no possible way Kyle Connor or Tyler Motte will lose the Hobey to a player from a sub .500 team. Especially with Connor having a higher PPG average than Eichel had when he won it.

It's going to happen.

 

Joined: 04/03/2010

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LetTheForcierB…

February 20th, 2016 at 8:14 AM ^

Kyle Connor could be up with Little and Evander Kane on first line for the Jets in 2-3 years. He has the potential of anybody.

Joined: 02/19/2016

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umichshea

February 20th, 2016 at 10:10 AM ^

Will Connor be there?

If he follows the trend of the modern athlete he probably will. However, I believe he needs to stay at Michigan another season (if you believe in college over the minors).

He is a wing who isn't great defensively nor tough on the boards. He scores a lot...many of which have come off rebounds. He never misses close in it seems and has great sense of where the puck is going. He is also a good skater but nowhere near a Dylan Larkin type skater.

In short... Could be an all-time point producing Wolverine but needs more seasoning IMHO to ensure success at the next level. I would worry rushing to pro hockey without developing physically or having a complete game could hurt him.

Some will disagree.



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stephenrjking

February 20th, 2016 at 2:45 PM ^

It's possible that Larkin has a better skill set for early success in the NHL than Connor, whose sophisticated offensive game may get frustrated by superior defensive hockey. Still, Larkin's early jump has been so successful that it suggests that Connor has a good chance to make the League and contribute right away. And if he can do that, he would be smart to go. I didn't want Larkin to leave, of course, but it was clearly the right choice for him. If Connor can do even half that well, he'd have to consider the same path.

Joined: 03/15/2012

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Neodoomium

February 20th, 2016 at 4:13 PM ^

I am going to be super bummed when Connor correctly goes pro in three months and is then never heard of again with the Jets.

 

I guess at least it's not Edmonton, graveyard of good young players.

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