Earlier this week, one of the Kings top prospects, Kenny Connors of UMass, made a rare televised appearance when his Minutemen took on the Terriers of Boston University. Now, three more Kings draft picks — including a pair of skaters ranked among LA’s list of top-10 prospects — will have their games televised on Friday.
While the quartet of forwards mentioned in this article all play a different style, they share at least one thing in common — each will be given heavy consideration for NHL Entry Level Contracts following the completion of this season (i.e. in March or April, depending on if their teams are one of the 16 schools to qualify for NCAA postseason play).
The two names almost surely turning pro once their 2024-25 seasons come to an end are Connors and Jared Wright (Denver University). It was a topic even discussed with Kings Director of Amateur Scouting Mark Yannetti here.
Denver won the National Championship last season and are currently ranked No. 4 in the polls. Wright, a slick skating 6-foot-3 forward, recorded 25 points in 44 games for the Pioneers last season. Through 16 games this year, he has captured five points (including four goals). Curiously, he’s been outscored this year by incoming freshman James Reeder, another Kings prospect — and somebody who could find himself up in the top-10 if he continues at his current pace.
Both Wright (sixth round) and Reeder (seventh round) are the latest in a long line of late round gems that Yannetti and his staff look to have uncovered. Reeder was even said to be getting consideration for Team USA at the upcoming World Juniors. And all of this comes after he arrived at Denver perhaps earlier than originally planned, as there were talks of him possibly spending a season in the USHL before attending college. To have already earned a top-6 role on a loaded Denver team speaks to the trust coach David Quinn already has in the 19-year-old forward.
Friday’s contest will the first of a home-and-home series vs. rival Colorado College. Today’s game can be seen on Sportsnet PT (DirecTV 659) at 4pm Pacific, and both clubs will be wearing special jerseys.
It's going to be a stellar sweater match-up for the Gold Pan series, as well!
x.com pic.twitter.com/hkmslSDHmf
— The NCHC (@TheNCHC) December 13, 2024
In a second Friday game to feature a player from the Kings top-10 prospect list, Ryan Conmy and the University of New Hampshire Wildcats will take on No. 17 Dartmouth. Conmy’s club has been a bubble team all season and scrapping their way to a 7-4-2 record (with all four of their losses coming at the hands of teams ranked in the top 12 nationally). They’ve also won three straight contests and a win in this one would greatly help their playoff chances.
As for Conmy more specifically, he’s — you may have already guessed — another late round pick who is crushing it. After lighting up the USHL for 62 points (33G, 29A) in 60 games, the Kings selected him in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft. Part of the reason they felt so comfortable taking him was the intel gathered by former USHL GM Andy Johnson, who had joined Yannetti’s staff that season.
Also worth noting is just how impressive Conmy has been at Kings Develpoment Camp each of the past two summers. Some might call him the MVP each year. After being one of the top freshmen in all of NCAA hockey last season, he appeared on Kings Of The Podcast to talk about everything he’s been up to you and his desire to make it to the NHL. See below if you missed it. For what it’s worth, we’d say there’s a better than 50% chance he is offered a pro contract in a few months. However, he’s only a sophomore, so depending on how everything shakes out, returning to New Hampshire for one more season isn’t off the table just yet.
Today’s Wildcats game can be seen on NESN (DirecTV channel 628) at 6pm Pacific.
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