Kyle Connor was born on December 6th, 1996, in Clinton Township, Michigan, USA. He is a left winger who has spent his entire NHL playing career for the Winnipeg Jets. Listed as 6-foot-1 and 177 pounds, Connor shoots left-handed. His early playing days started in the Detroit minor hockey scene where he participated in the 2009 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Detroit Belle Tire, a minor hockey club in Detroit. Connor later became a member of the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League (USHL) where he spent three years playing junior hockey. He later committed to the University of Michigan Wolverines men’s ice hockey team where he spent one season.
Drafted 17th Overall by the Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets had the 17th overall draft selection in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft and drafted Kyle Connor with that pick. Connor spent his 2015-16 season with the University of Michigan, but he came over to the Winnipeg Jets soon after as he signed his entry-level contract (ELC) on April 11th, 2016.
Connor wouldn’t make his NHL debut until the following season when he debuted on October 13th, playing alongside Mathieu Perreault and fellow rookie Patrik Laine. Connor recorded his first career NHL point with an assist on Laine’s third-period goal. Connor would have to wait a couple of weeks to score his first NHL goal. On October 27th, 2016, Kyle Connor scored his first career NHL goal in a 4-1 win against the Winnipeg Jets’ Central Division rivals, the Dallas Stars.
Unfortunately for the bright young Jets forward, he suffered a head injury against the Los Angeles Kings on November 13th and missed five games. He returned on November 25th, but he was re-assigned to the Manitoba Moose, the Jets’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, on December 9th as he was pointless since returning.
Connor Gets Seven-Year Contract Extension
On September 28th, 2019, the Winnipeg Jets announced that they signed forward Kyle Connor to a seven-year contract extension carrying a cap hit and an average annual value (AAV) of $7,142,857. Connor posted five points (2G, 3A) in 20 games during his run in the 2016-17 season. He followed that up with 57 points (31G, 26A) in 76 games in 2017-18. Connor finally got his first full 82-game season in his contract year where he posted 66 points (34G, 32A) in 2018-19. The Jets had a star in the making and Kyle Connor was showing signs of steady development.
Connor would post career-high numbers in goals (47) and points (93) in the 2021-22 season. Connor posted a career-high in assists (49) in the 2022-23 season.
Awards To Date
Internationally, Kyle Connor has represented Team USA at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2013 when they won silver. Connor also represented Team USA at the U18 World Championship in 2014 when they won gold and the Men’s World Championship in 2016 when Team USA placed fourth.
In Connor’s collegiate career, he took home a ton of awards for just one season with the University of Michigan. He was named Rookie of the Month in December 2015 and January 2016, was the National Rookie of the Year, and took home the Big Ten Scoring Champion among many other awards.
His NHL career is highlighted by a pair of All-Star Game appearances in 2022 and 2024 while also winning the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 2022. In his Calder Trophy-eligible season, he ranked fourth behind finalists Clayton Keller and Brock Boeser and eventual winner Mathew Barzal.
