Connolly Conundrum Solved – Bolts Rookie is Staying

After last nights win over the Buffalo Sabres, Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman wasted no time in telling everyone that he had decided to keep 19 year old rookie forward Brett Connolly with the big club.

In a text message to the media, Yzerman wrote, “We feel Brett’s shown that he belongs in the NHL and makes our team better. So, we’ve decided to keep him.”

Yzerman had until tomorrow nights game against Nashville (Connolly’s tenth) to determine the 2010 first round picks immediate future. Because of his young age, the Bolts had to either keep him on the NHL roster or send him back to his Prince George, WHL, junior team.

Connolly has been serving his apprenticeship alongside grizzled veteran stars Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. In nine games he leads the Bolts with a +5 rating, has two assists and is averaging 13:54 in ice time per game. The statistics certainly don’t tell the whole story. Connolly has shown a high hockey I.Q. and a keen sense of positioning. Despite needing to get stronger, he has also started to play more physical of late.

Make no mistake, this was a difficult and well thought out decision by the Lightning brass. Yzerman comes from the Detroit Red Wings organization that consistently remains ultra conservative in their handling of prospects, keeping them in the minors until they are overly ready for the rigors of an 82 game NHL season. But Yzerman knows that Connolly is a pure offensive talent who can make plays at a high rate of speed and help this team now Stevie likes snipers and Connolly is that. Last season in juniors he scored 46 goals and accumulated 73 points in just 59 games.

This is a good move for Tampa Bay, one that wouldn’t have materialized without the likes of Lecavalier and St. Louis onboard to guide Connolly every step of the way on his maiden voyage into NHL waters.

*Bottom Connolly photograph courtesy of Susan Ferlita.

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