Jason Connors Rookie Profile [1/2]

[Klrpizza 3]

Jason Connors

 

 

Age: 19

Position: Left Wing

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 202 lb

Handedness: Left

Hometown: Eau Claire, Wisconsin

 

 

Overview

Jason Connors spent the majority of his career playing at center before switching to the left wing a season and a half ago to get more playing time. This position change has worked out for Connors thus far but any prospective teams will need to keep a close eye on his progress at the position to ensure that he is not lagging behind other players who have spent more time at the position. 

 

Pros

Size: While lacking the height of some of his fellows, Connors makes up for it with the weight his frame has. His large body allows him to push smaller players off the puck and conversely protects the puck from being easily stolen while in his possession. In addition, it gives his body checks that little extra punch that can turn an average hit into a hard one. Connors is aware of the advantage his larger than average size gives him and uses it whenever he can. If he is able to get favorable match ups with smaller wingers, he can dictate the play along the wing.

Passing: Connors is the rare player that enjoys setting up a play just as much, if not more than, finishing it. He has demonstrated on multiple occasions his ability to find the open man and deliver the puck to them, be it through a pass along the boards or passed through the legs of a defender. When presented with the possibility of taking a hit and delivering a successful pass or avoiding the hit and delivering a pass that is more likely to be picked off, Connors will choose the successful pass and the hit nine times out of ten. His delivery is crisp and controlled, giving the recipients more time to take their shots instead of trying to reposition the puck on their sticks.

Shooting: Connors is just as capable of scoring goals as he is in setting them up. His wrist shot is mechanically sound and more accurate than some of his contemporaries, giving him a slight edge when it comes to scoring on more difficult opportunities. The one downside to his wrist shot is the lower than average speed but this can be improved with time. When he has space to shoot, Connors prefers to wind up into a slap shot that has surprising speed. Of the 274 shots Connors took last season, 107 were classified as slap shots. Of the 23 goals he scored last season, 11 came when Connors shot with a slap shot. If he develops accuracy to go along with his power on the slap shot, Connors could become a reliable long range shooter. 

 

Weaknesses

Converted Player: Connors has spent the large majority of his career playing center and it shows on the ice. On extended offensive and defensive possessions, he will sometimes lapse back into his habits as a center and drive for the net, leaving the left wing weakened. He also lacks some of the technical finesse other left wingers possess at this stage of their careers, though to his credit this is something he realizes and is making extended efforts to correct.  

Recklessness: As much as his body is an asset, Connors has allowed it to negatively affect his mentality on the ice. He flies into corners at high speeds and does not pull back from hits. This works for him while he maintains a size advantage over opponents but when he is inevitably confronted with players who are able to match or overcome his physical play through either physicality or finesse, it puts him on the back foot while he tries to adapt. When he is unable to fully adapt to those players, Connors' impact on the game is dramatically decreased. If his recklessness is not tempered, Connors will inevitably take more hits than necessary over the course of his career. 

Discipline: Connors has had trouble with penalties in the past, accruing 152 penalty minutes across the last two seasons. This mental issue appears mostly when Connors is being outmatched by opposition, resulting in him taking desperate and unnecessary risks that inevitably lead to time spent in the penalty box. On a select few occasions, his temper has gotten the better of him and Connors delivered hits that resulted in suspensions and fines. Coaches will have to work with Connors on these disciplinary issues, though it might take some time before those efforts bear fruit.

 

 

Final Thoughts

Jason Connors is a very hit-or-miss sort of player. He will either outmatch his opponent with his body and workable technical skills and be able to dictate the pace of the game along the left wing or his opponent will be able to beat this combination and dictate the pace themselves. At his best, Connors is a valuable asset no matter which line he is placed on. At his worst, Connors is a liability on the left wing. Future coaches will need to work with Connors to establish consistency in his game if they want to get the best player they can.

 

 

Edited July 5, 2019 by Klrpizza

[MexicanCow123 915]

Great read!!! 

[HenrikZoiderberg 469]

Review:

 

Great use of pictures, readability, and formatting. Off to a good start. Really appreciate you using a render from Junior as well.

 

Overview and Summary are good and correctly done, that's where a lot of these profiles trip, liking what I see.

 

Your pros and cons reflect a decent amount of actual hockey knowledge and you haven't reserved yourself to just TPE-based stas. That's good.

 

On 7/4/2019 at 9:44 PM, Klrpizza said:

At his worst, Connors is a liability on the left wing. Future coaches will need to work with Connors to establish consistency in his game if they want to get the best player they can.

 

Really appreciate that you haven't written a superman here and have identified tangible faults that can be improved.

 

Well done.