Manor BREAKING NEWS: LA Kings and Connors Agree to Entry-Level Contract

[LGKbot]

And so it begins. The first of what could be two college forwards signing with the Kings this month has now been confirmed. Mayor’s Manor has learned that 22-year-old forward Kenny Connors has agreed to a two-year entry-level contract with LA; in doing do, he’ll be leaving UMass and turning pro.

Ranked among the top-10 of Kings prospects at forward, Connors has shown versatility this season, playing both center and wing for the Minutemen. Originally selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, the Pennsylvania native also skated with Team USA at the 2023 World Junior Championships and played two seasons with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints before heading off to college.

While at UMass, Connors was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team after his freshman season (2022-23), when he finished second on the team in points (26), tied for second in goals (9) and was second in assists (17). The following year, he was one of only seven players on his team to suit up for all 37 games. This season, Connors established a new school record by scoring in six straight games. In total, he scored 10 goals in 2024-25, a new personal best over his three years at UMass.

From our article a few weeks ago about this potential of Connors signing soon:

Kenny Connors – A fourth round selection in 2022, the third-year UMass forward has already punched his ticket to the 16-team NCAA playoff bracket that gets underway this coming Thursday. Once his season is officially over at some point, look for LA to try and sign the Pennsylvania native. Looking at his points alone won’t even begin to tell the story (he’s put up 28 points in 38 games this season), as Connors is a just a gamer. In a very unassuming way, he provides sneaky offense and is the type of player all championship teams need on their roster. We expect him to be an important player on the Reign next season.

Because of his age, Connors ELC will be for two years, beginning in 2025-26. He’s expected to begin his pro career with AHL Ontario. However, due to a recent foot injury suffered from blocking a shot, he will most likely not be available to play with the Reign for quite some time. Even so, he will possibly join the team to begin his acclimation process. First, he’ll need to ink a PTO to make that happen, so that’s something to look for in the days ahead.

Want to learn more about Connors and why the Kings are so high on this prospect? See here:


MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

Kings Saying Goodbye to Two Prospects, Preparing to Sign Four Others

Follow @mayorNHL





Continue reading...