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Wikipedia

Drew O'Connor

Drew James O'Connor (born June 9, 1998) is an American professional ice hockey left winger for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Drew O'Connor
O'Connor with Team USA in 2023
Born (1998-06-09) June 9, 1998 (age 25)
Chatham, New Jersey, U.S.
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Left wing
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams
Pittsburgh Penguins
Manglerud Star
National team  United States
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 2020–present

Growing up in New Jersey, O'Connor represented his home state on various occasions. He played with the New Jersey Colonials minor ice hockey team and scored the game-winning goal to clinch the 2011 USA 12U Hockey National Championship. In 2013, O'Connor began his high school career at the Delbarton School in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference. However, as his ice time declined, he joined the North Jersey Avalanche in the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League following his junior year. Although he helped them win the T1EHL Championship, O'Connor did not originally receive any hockey scholarships to play collegiate ice hockey. After taking part in a summer showcase in July and performing well, he was accepted into Dartmouth College but was recommended to spend a year of junior hockey with the Boston Junior Bruins of the National Collegiate Development Conference in the United States Premier Hockey League.

O'Connor had an exponential career with the Dartmouth Big Green men's ice hockey from 2018 to 2020. After finishing his freshman season with 17 goals and 28 points, he became the only rookie to earn a spot on either the first or second All-Ivy League Team. His goal and points totals also tied numerous program and league records. His goal total was ranked second among all first-year players in Division I in 2018–19 and third among all freshman in program history. His 26 points were second on the team and were the most by a Big Green rookie since Matt Lindblad's 28 in 2010-11. When he returned to the Big Green for his sophomore season, he broke his previous season's records. O'Connor became the first Dartmouth player since Scott Fleming in 2009–10 to reach 20 goals and the first Dartmouth player to lead the league in conference goals in 40 years. He also became the fourth player in Dartmouth history to be named the Ivy League Player of the Year and the eighth Dartmouth player to earn a selection onto the ECAC First Team. Lastly, O'Connor also became the first Dartmouth player to be recognized by the New England Hockey Writers Association as an All-New England All-Star since 2006–07.

Early life edit

O'Connor was born on June 9, 1998, in Chatham, New Jersey[1] to parents Shawn and Meagan O'Connor.[2] As a toddler, O'Connor and his older brother Jack would skate every Saturday at a rink in Bayonne, New Jersey.[3] He grew up with two sisters, Erin and McKenna.[2]

Playing career edit

Amateur edit

Growing up in New Jersey, O'Connor represented his home state on various occasions. In 2010, he played in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the New Jersey Colonials minor ice hockey team.[4] He also tried out for the New York Rangers Quebec Team.[5] While with the Colonials, O'Connor scored the game-winning goal to clinch the 2011 USA 12U Hockey National Championship.[6] In 2013, O'Connor began his high school career at the Delbarton School in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference. As his ice time at Delbarton waned, O'Connor quit the team his junior year and joined the North Jersey Avalanche in the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League.[2] In his first season with the Avalanche, O'Connor split time between the U18 team and the Avalanche’s junior team.[6] He helped them win the T1EHL Championship and earned a berth in the USA Hockey Nationals.[7] However, by the time he graduated, he had not received any hockey scholarships to play collegiate ice hockey. After taking part in a summer showcase in July and performing well, he received enrollment offers from Division III schools and Dartmouth College.[2] Although Dartmouth offered him a spot, the coaches recommended that O'Connor spend a year of junior hockey with the Boston Junior Bruins of the National Collegiate Development Conference in the United States Premier Hockey League.[3] In their inaugural NCDC season, O'Connor scored 39 points through 49 games.[8] Although he graduated high school at 5-foot-10, O’Connor arrived on the Dartmouth campus in 2018 at 6-foot-3.[3]

Collegiate edit

O'Connor played for the Dartmouth Big Green at Dartmouth College from 2018 to 2020. There, he enrolled in the School of Liberal Arts and majored in Sociology.[7] He scored three points, including his first collegiate goal, in his first collegiate game as the Big Green defeated Harvard 6–5 in overtime.[3] After adding a goal and two assists in the Big Green's 7–6 overtime win against the RPI Engineers, O'Connor received the ECAC's Rookie of the Week honor.[9] He later recorded his first collegiate two-goal game on November 24 in a 5–3 loss to Vermont.[10] On March 4, O'Connor earned his second ECAC Rookie of the Week honor after tallying three goals in a road split against Union and Rensselaer.[11] Shortly thereafter, he earned his third ECAC Rookie of the Week honor for the week ending on March 11 for tallying six goals over five games. His six goals in March were also tied for the most by any player in Division I.[12] O'Connor finished his freshman season as the only rookie to earn a spot on either the first or second All-Ivy League Team.[13] Furthermore, he established multiple program and league records by netting 17 goals and tallying 26 points. His goal count stood as the second-highest among all Division I first-year players in the 2018-19 season, while it also ranked as the third-highest among freshmen in the history of the program. Additionally, his point total placed him second on the team and represented the highest accumulation by a rookie since Matt Lindblad in 2010-11.[14]

Following an outstanding freshman season, O'Connor was invited to participate in the Boston Bruins' Development Camp in June and July.[15] He returned to Dartmouth for the 2019–20 season where he broke out offensively. During the week of November 18, O'Connor tallied three goals and three assists for six points over three games. His six points tied him for the ECAC Hockey lead in scoring and he was subsequently named the ECAC Hockey Player of the Week.[16] As the Big Green began to suffer from injuries, O'Connor was moved out of his original position into a center role.[17] In his first game as a center, he scored two goals and spent time on the power-play to beat Colorado College 5–2 on December 17.[18] In the Ledyard Classic, O'Connor scored three times and finished with five points to earn all-tournament honors as he helped the Big Green to the title for the first time in four seasons.[19] This continued into January and O'Connor quickly positioned himself as one of the top players in ECAC Hockey. He had accumulated a team-leading 10 points through 10 games leading into Winter break and then added seven more points in four games upon returning.[20] By January 16, O'Connor had passed his previous season's goal total with 27 to rank second-best in the conference while the Big Green ranked seventh in the 12-team ECAC.[17] As the season began to come to a close, O'Connor recorded the first collegiate hat trick in a 5–3 win over Union on February 28.[21] He subsequently became the first Dartmouth player since Scott Fleming in 2009–10 to reach 20 goals and the first Dartmouth player to lead the league in conference goals in 40 years.[22] O'Connor finished the 2019–20 season with 21 goals through 29 games to become the fourth player in Dartmouth history to be named the Ivy League Player of the Year.[23] He also became the eighth Dartmouth player to earn a selection onto the ECAC First Team.[24] Although his season had ended, O'Connor also became the first Dartmouth player to be recognized by the New England Hockey Writers Association as an All-New England All-Star since David Jones in 2006–07.[25]

Professional edit

Following the conclusion of the season, O'Connor signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.[26] He had also been heavily recruited by the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Buffalo Sabres, and Anaheim Ducks. Anaheim Ducks vice president of hockey operations David McNab mailed him hand-written letters while the Sabres informed him that he could play on Jack Eichel's line.[6] As the NHL paused play due to the COVID-19 pandemic, O'Connor was loaned to the Manglerud Star Ishockey in the GET. He tallied six goals and four assists through seven games before reporting to the Penguins’ training camp in advance of the pandemic-shortened 2020–21 NHL season.[27] After attending the Penguins' training camp, O'Connor was assigned to their Taxi Squad to begin the season.[28] He was recalled to the NHL on January 26 after Evan Rodrigues was injured in the previous game against the New York Rangers.[29] O'Connor subsequently made his NHL debut that night in a 3–2 win over the Boston Bruins. He tallied his first NHL assist in 10:51 minutes of ice time while also seeing time on the second power-play unit.[30] After making his debut, O'Connor played three more games for the Penguins before getting re-assigned to the taxi squad on February 2.[2] He remained with the Taxi Squad for only a few days before returning to the Penguins lineup on February 6.[31] He spent the remainder of the month in and out of the Penguins lineup before being re-assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (WBS), in early March.[32]

O'Connor made an immediate impact in the WBS lineup by scoring his first professional goal in his first game in the AHL to lead the Penguins to a 6–3 win over the Binghamton Devils.[33] By the time O'Connor was re-assigned to the Penguins Taxi Squad on April 5, he had tallied four goals and four assists for eight points through eight games.[34] O'Connor finished the AHL regular season with seven goals and 12 assists through 20 games but proved less successful at the NHL level. He finished the NHL's regular season playing in 10 games for the Penguins and only accumulating one assist.[27] During the 2021 offseason, O'Connor made numerous dietary changes including cutting out all gluten and all dairy. He also worked on putting on more weight in the gym and getting faster.[35]

After impressing at the Penguins 2021 training camp, O'Connor made their opening night roster ahead of the 2021–22 season.[36] Over his first 12 games of the season, he played left wing on a line with center Brian Boyle while averaging 11:02 in ice time.[37] On October 16, 2021, O'Connor scored his first career NHL goal to lead the Penguins to a 5–2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. His goal and assist helped coach Mike Sullivan get the most wins of any coach in Pittsburgh Penguins history.[38] O'Connor was re-assigned to the WBS Penguins on November 14 after Sidney Crosby, Brian Dumoulin, Marcus Pettersson, and Chad Ruhwedel were activated from the NHL's COVID-19 Protocol List.[39] At the time of the assignment, O'Connor had tallied three goals and two assists through 12 games along with 11 hits and five blocked shots.[37] He tallied five points over five games in the AHL before rejoining the Penguins at the NHL level on November 28.[40] After spending some time on the NHL's COVID-19 Protocol List in January,[41] O'Connor was re-assigned to the AHL on January 10.[42] However, later that month, O'Connor suffered from a collapsed lung that was unrelated to his earlier bout with COVID-19.[43] He subsequently missed 11 games to recover before rejoining the Pittsburgh Penguins for the team's first practice after the 2022 NHL All-Star Game.[44] As he continued to split the season between the NHL and AHL, O'Connor signed a one-year contract extension on March 12, 2022, with an average annual value of $750,000.[45] O'Connor finished the AHL regular season with a career-high 12 goals and 20 assists for 32 points while leading the team with 0.98 points-per-game. After their regular season ended, he rejoined the Penguins at the NHL level for the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs.[46] O'Connor made his postseason debut with the Penguins during Game 2 of their Eastern First Round series against the New York Rangers. He recorded one hit and one blocked shot in 6:33 minutes of ice time in the 5–2 loss.[47] He remained sidelined for three more games before stepping in for Crosby in Game 6.[48] The Penguins were eventually eliminated by the Rangers in Game 7.[49]

Although O'Connor impressed the Penguins coaching staff during the 2023 training camp and preseason,[50] salary cap constraints forced O’Connor to open the 2022-23 season with the WBS Penguins.[51] After tallying two goals and four assists through the WBS Penguins first eight games, O'Connor was recalled to the NHL level on October 31.[52] He played in three games during his brief recall without accumulating a point before being re-assigned to the WBS Penguins on November 6.[53] O'Connor spent the remainder of November in the AHL where he quickly became their top center and point producer. He generated five goals and 11 assists through 12 games and earned another recall to the NHL level on December 14.[51] At the time of his recall, O'Connor had also tied a franchise record for most points collected over two games. Over two games, one against the Hershey Bears and another against the Cleveland Monsters, O'Connor had tallied nine points.[54] O'Connor quickly became a mainstay in the Penguins lineup as he tallied four goals and three assists for seven points over 25 games while averaging nine minutes per game.[55] He continued to improve as various injuries befelled some of the Penguins top forwards. Appearing in 43 of the team’s final 50 games of the season, O’Connor averaged 9:54 of ice time per contest while accumulating five goals and six assists.[51] After the Penguins failed to qualify for the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, O'Connor was selected for the United States men's national ice hockey team to compete at the 2023 IIHF World Championship.[56] While Team USA failed to medal, O'Connor tallied three goals and five assists for eight points through 10 games played.[57]

Upon concluding the championship, O'Connor re-enrolled in Dartmouth to finish his Bachelor's degree in sociology and officially graduated on September 7, 2023. While completing classes over the summer, he also worked out and trained at Dartmouth's Thompson Arena.[58] Ahead of the 2023–24 season, the Penguins signed O'Connor to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $925,000.[59] While O'Connor started the Penguins training camp on their third line with Lars Eller and Rickard Rakell, he finished their preseason on their top line alongside Crosby and Bryan Rust.[60]

Career statistics edit

Regular season and playoffs edit

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2013–14 Delbarton School USHS 9 0 1 1 0
2014–15 Delbarton School USHS 28 1 7 8 10
2015–16 North Jersey Avalanche T1EHL 23 6 12 18 6 5 1 1 2 0
2016–17 North Jersey Avalanche T1EHL 31 11 13 24 18 5 2 2 4 4
2016–17 New Jersey Junior Titans NAHL 3 0 0 0 0
2017–18 Boston Jr. Bruins NCDC 49 13 26 39 12 6 0 5 5 2
2018–19 Dartmouth College ECAC 34 17 9 26 14
2019–20 Dartmouth College ECAC 31 21 12 33 42
2020–21 Manglerud Star GET 7 6 4 10 8
2020–21 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 10 0 1 1 2
2020–21 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 20 7 12 19 14
2021–22 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 22 3 2 5 4 2 0 0 0 0
2021–22 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 33 12 20 32 19
2022–23 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 20 8 14 22 18
2022–23 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 46 5 6 11 12
2023–24 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 79 16 17 33 20
GET totals 7 6 4 10 8
NHL totals 157 24 26 50 38 2 0 0 0 0

International edit

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2023 United States WC 4th 10 3 5 8 0
Senior totals 10 3 5 8 0

Awards and honours edit

Award Year
College
All-Ivy League Second Team 2019 [13]
All-Ivy League First Team 2020 [23]
Ivy League Player of the Year 2020
ECAC First Team 2020 [24]

References edit

  1. ^ "Drew O'Connor". Elite Prospects. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e Crechiolo, Michelle (February 2, 2021). "The Little Engine That Could". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Mosk, Matthew (April 2022). "Out of Nowhere". Dartmouth College. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  4. ^ "Where Are They Now". Brick Hockey. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  5. ^ "New York Rangers Quebec Team Camp Underway". Youth1. August 3, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Defabo, Mike (January 29, 2021). . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on January 29, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Drew O'Connor". Dartmouth College. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  8. ^ . USPHL. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  9. ^ "RPI Goalie Linden Marshall earns ECAC Weekly Honors". The Record. October 29, 2018. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  10. ^ Salvas, Pat (November 24, 2018). "Vermont's Defense Comes Up Big as Dartmouth Falls at Home, 5-3". Dartmouth College. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  11. ^ Salvas, Pat (March 4, 2019). "Drew O'Connor Earns Second ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Week Award". Dartmouth College. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  12. ^ Salvas, Pat (March 11, 2019). "Foreman and O'Connor Take Home ECAC Hockey Weekly Honors After Dominant Weekend". Dartmouth College. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Salvas, Pat (March 13, 2019). "Clark, Yau and O'Connor Earn 2018-19 All-Ivy League Honors". Dartmouth College. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  14. ^ "Big Green Hand Out 2018-19 Team Awards". Dartmouth College. May 22, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  15. ^ "Bruins Announce 2019 Development Camp Roster & Schedule". National Hockey League. June 25, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  16. ^ Salvas, Pat (November 18, 2019). "Drew O'Connor Named ECAC Hockey Player of the Week". Dartmouth College. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Wykes, Tris (January 16, 2020). . Valley News. Archived from the original on January 17, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  18. ^ Savas, Pat (December 28, 2019). "O'Connor Shines as Dartmouth Defeats Colorado College in Ledyard Opener". Dartmouth College. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  19. ^ Salvas, Pat (December 29, 2019). "Dartmouth Wins Ledyard Classic With Wild Third-Period Comeback vs. UConn". Dartmouth College. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  20. ^ "Cape Air Athletes of the Week - O'Connor & Pietraszek". Dartmouth College. January 7, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  21. ^ Salvas, Pat (February 28, 2020). "O'Connor's Hat Trick Leads Dartmouth to 5-3 Win vs. Union". Dartmouth College. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  22. ^ "O'Connor Earns League-Leading 3rd ECAC Hockey Player of the Week in 2019-20". Dartmouth College. March 2, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  23. ^ a b Salvas, Pat (March 4, 2020). "O'Connor Named Co-Player of the Year, Four Players Earn All-Ivy Honors". Dartmouth College. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  24. ^ a b Salvas, Pat (March 17, 2020). "Drew O'Connor Named All-ECAC Hockey First Team for 2019-20". Dartmouth College. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  25. ^ Salvas, Pat (April 14, 2020). "Drew O'Connor Named an All-New England All-Star". Dartmouth College. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  26. ^ "Penguins Sign College Free Agent Drew O'Connor to a Two-Year Contract". National Hockey League. March 10, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  27. ^ a b Rorabaugh, Seth (September 29, 2021). "Penguins forward Drew O'Connor is better prepared entering his 2nd season". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  28. ^ "Penguins Finalize 23-Man Roster and Taxi Squad". National Hockey League. January 11, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  29. ^ Defabo, Mike (January 26, 2021). "Penguins prospect Drew O'Connor makes his NHL debut". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on April 1, 2023. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  30. ^ Crechiolo, Michelle (January 26, 2021). "Pens Extend Unbeaten Streak". National Hockey League. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  31. ^ "Penguins Recall Drew O'Connor from the Taxi Squad". National Hockey League. February 6, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  32. ^ Coe, Brian (March 5, 2021). "Pittsburgh Assigns Joseph, O'Connor To WBS". Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  33. ^ Hart, Nick (March 6, 2021). "PENGUINS RALLY TO DEFEAT DEVILS, 6-3". Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  34. ^ "Penguins Re-Assign Forwards Radim Zohorna and Drew O'Connor to Taxi Squad". National Hockey League. April 5, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  35. ^ Leo, James (October 5, 2021). "O'Connor Impressing With His Confidence and Conviction". National Hockey League. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  36. ^ Crechiolo, Michelle (October 12, 2021). "Breaking Down the Penguins Roster Heading into Opening Night". National Hockey League. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  37. ^ a b Morreale, Mike (November 15, 2021). "Rookie Watch: Fehervary, Mercer among best in Metropolitan Division". National Hockey League. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  38. ^ Crosby, Wes (October 16, 2021). "Sullivan sets Penguins coaching wins record against Blackhawks". National Hockey League. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  39. ^ "Penguins Activate Four Players from the NHL's COVID-19 Protocol List". National Hockey League. November 14, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  40. ^ "Penguins Recall Drew O'Connor from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins". National Hockey League. November 28, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  41. ^ "Penguins Re-Assign Anthony Angello to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins". National Hockey League. January 4, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  42. ^ "Penguins Recall Anthony Angello and Radim Zohorna to the Taxi Squad". National Hockey League. January 10, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  43. ^ Rorabaugh, Seth (January 27, 2022). "Report: Penguins forward Drew O'Connor recovering from collapsed lung". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  44. ^ Heidinger, Grace (February 11, 2022). "Malkin Officially Game-Time Decision for Sunday, But Anticipated to Play". National Hockey League. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  45. ^ "Penguins Re-Sign Forward Drew O'Connor to a One-Year Contract Extension". National Hockey League. March 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  46. ^ "Penguins Recall Forward Drew O'Connor from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton". National Hockey League. April 30, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  47. ^ Lane, Joe (May 6, 2022). "Rangers bounce back, defeat Penguins in Game 2 of Eastern First Round". National Hockey League. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  48. ^ "Sidney Crosby Ruled Out for Rangers–Penguins Game 6". Sports Illustrated. May 13, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  49. ^ "Rangers Eliminate Penguins on Panarin's OT Winner in Game 7". Sports Illustrated. May 15, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  50. ^ Rossi, Rob (September 28, 2022). "The Penguins' power play looks bad, Drew O'Connor gets his look: Rossi's observations". The Athletic. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  51. ^ a b c Rorabaugh, Seth (June 6, 2023). . Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  52. ^ "Penguins Recall Forward Drew O'Connor from the WBS Penguins". National Hockey League. October 31, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  53. ^ "Penguins Re-Assign Drew O'Connor to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins". National Hockey League. November 6, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  54. ^ Stolar, Landon (December 13, 2022). "Drew O'Connor Recording Franchise Record Production with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins". WNEP. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  55. ^ Horwat, Nick (February 27, 2023). "Drew O'Connor Gaining Confidence, Earning Regular Role With Penguins". The Hockey News. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  56. ^ "Bonino, O'Connor, DeSmith Named to Team USA for IIHF World Championship". National Hockey League. May 4, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  57. ^ "P.O Joseph and Team Canada Win Gold at the 2023 IIHF World Championship". National Hockey League. May 28, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  58. ^ Horwat, Nick (September 8, 2023). "Young Penguins Forward Finishes Degree at Dartmouth". The Hockey News. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  59. ^ "Penguins Re-Sign Forward Drew O'Connor to a Two-Year Contract". National Hockey League. August 2, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  60. ^ Destin, Austin (October 6, 2023). . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on October 8, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.

External links edit

  • Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database, or TSN.ca

drew, connor, drew, james, connor, born, june, 1998, american, professional, hockey, left, winger, pittsburgh, penguins, national, hockey, league, connor, with, team, 2023born, 1998, june, 1998, chatham, jersey, height6, weight190, positionleft, wingshootsleft. Drew James O Connor born June 9 1998 is an American professional ice hockey left winger for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League NHL Drew O ConnorO Connor with Team USA in 2023Born 1998 06 09 June 9 1998 age 25 Chatham New Jersey U S Height6 ft 3 in 191 cm Weight190 lb 86 kg 13 st 8 lb PositionLeft wingShootsLeftNHL teamFormer teamsPittsburgh PenguinsManglerud StarNational team United StatesNHL draftUndraftedPlaying career2020 present Growing up in New Jersey O Connor represented his home state on various occasions He played with the New Jersey Colonials minor ice hockey team and scored the game winning goal to clinch the 2011 USA 12U Hockey National Championship In 2013 O Connor began his high school career at the Delbarton School in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference However as his ice time declined he joined the North Jersey Avalanche in the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League following his junior year Although he helped them win the T1EHL Championship O Connor did not originally receive any hockey scholarships to play collegiate ice hockey After taking part in a summer showcase in July and performing well he was accepted into Dartmouth College but was recommended to spend a year of junior hockey with the Boston Junior Bruins of the National Collegiate Development Conference in the United States Premier Hockey League O Connor had an exponential career with the Dartmouth Big Green men s ice hockey from 2018 to 2020 After finishing his freshman season with 17 goals and 28 points he became the only rookie to earn a spot on either the first or second All Ivy League Team His goal and points totals also tied numerous program and league records His goal total was ranked second among all first year players in Division I in 2018 19 and third among all freshman in program history His 26 points were second on the team and were the most by a Big Green rookie since Matt Lindblad s 28 in 2010 11 When he returned to the Big Green for his sophomore season he broke his previous season s records O Connor became the first Dartmouth player since Scott Fleming in 2009 10 to reach 20 goals and the first Dartmouth player to lead the league in conference goals in 40 years He also became the fourth player in Dartmouth history to be named the Ivy League Player of the Year and the eighth Dartmouth player to earn a selection onto the ECAC First Team Lastly O Connor also became the first Dartmouth player to be recognized by the New England Hockey Writers Association as an All New England All Star since 2006 07 Contents 1 Early life 2 Playing career 2 1 Amateur 2 2 Collegiate 2 3 Professional 3 Career statistics 3 1 Regular season and playoffs 3 2 International 4 Awards and honours 5 References 6 External linksEarly life editO Connor was born on June 9 1998 in Chatham New Jersey 1 to parents Shawn and Meagan O Connor 2 As a toddler O Connor and his older brother Jack would skate every Saturday at a rink in Bayonne New Jersey 3 He grew up with two sisters Erin and McKenna 2 Playing career editAmateur edit Growing up in New Jersey O Connor represented his home state on various occasions In 2010 he played in the Quebec International Pee Wee Hockey Tournament with the New Jersey Colonials minor ice hockey team 4 He also tried out for the New York Rangers Quebec Team 5 While with the Colonials O Connor scored the game winning goal to clinch the 2011 USA 12U Hockey National Championship 6 In 2013 O Connor began his high school career at the Delbarton School in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference As his ice time at Delbarton waned O Connor quit the team his junior year and joined the North Jersey Avalanche in the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League 2 In his first season with the Avalanche O Connor split time between the U18 team and the Avalanche s junior team 6 He helped them win the T1EHL Championship and earned a berth in the USA Hockey Nationals 7 However by the time he graduated he had not received any hockey scholarships to play collegiate ice hockey After taking part in a summer showcase in July and performing well he received enrollment offers from Division III schools and Dartmouth College 2 Although Dartmouth offered him a spot the coaches recommended that O Connor spend a year of junior hockey with the Boston Junior Bruins of the National Collegiate Development Conference in the United States Premier Hockey League 3 In their inaugural NCDC season O Connor scored 39 points through 49 games 8 Although he graduated high school at 5 foot 10 O Connor arrived on the Dartmouth campus in 2018 at 6 foot 3 3 Collegiate edit O Connor played for the Dartmouth Big Green at Dartmouth College from 2018 to 2020 There he enrolled in the School of Liberal Arts and majored in Sociology 7 He scored three points including his first collegiate goal in his first collegiate game as the Big Green defeated Harvard 6 5 in overtime 3 After adding a goal and two assists in the Big Green s 7 6 overtime win against the RPI Engineers O Connor received the ECAC s Rookie of the Week honor 9 He later recorded his first collegiate two goal game on November 24 in a 5 3 loss to Vermont 10 On March 4 O Connor earned his second ECAC Rookie of the Week honor after tallying three goals in a road split against Union and Rensselaer 11 Shortly thereafter he earned his third ECAC Rookie of the Week honor for the week ending on March 11 for tallying six goals over five games His six goals in March were also tied for the most by any player in Division I 12 O Connor finished his freshman season as the only rookie to earn a spot on either the first or second All Ivy League Team 13 Furthermore he established multiple program and league records by netting 17 goals and tallying 26 points His goal count stood as the second highest among all Division I first year players in the 2018 19 season while it also ranked as the third highest among freshmen in the history of the program Additionally his point total placed him second on the team and represented the highest accumulation by a rookie since Matt Lindblad in 2010 11 14 Following an outstanding freshman season O Connor was invited to participate in the Boston Bruins Development Camp in June and July 15 He returned to Dartmouth for the 2019 20 season where he broke out offensively During the week of November 18 O Connor tallied three goals and three assists for six points over three games His six points tied him for the ECAC Hockey lead in scoring and he was subsequently named the ECAC Hockey Player of the Week 16 As the Big Green began to suffer from injuries O Connor was moved out of his original position into a center role 17 In his first game as a center he scored two goals and spent time on the power play to beat Colorado College 5 2 on December 17 18 In the Ledyard Classic O Connor scored three times and finished with five points to earn all tournament honors as he helped the Big Green to the title for the first time in four seasons 19 This continued into January and O Connor quickly positioned himself as one of the top players in ECAC Hockey He had accumulated a team leading 10 points through 10 games leading into Winter break and then added seven more points in four games upon returning 20 By January 16 O Connor had passed his previous season s goal total with 27 to rank second best in the conference while the Big Green ranked seventh in the 12 team ECAC 17 As the season began to come to a close O Connor recorded the first collegiate hat trick in a 5 3 win over Union on February 28 21 He subsequently became the first Dartmouth player since Scott Fleming in 2009 10 to reach 20 goals and the first Dartmouth player to lead the league in conference goals in 40 years 22 O Connor finished the 2019 20 season with 21 goals through 29 games to become the fourth player in Dartmouth history to be named the Ivy League Player of the Year 23 He also became the eighth Dartmouth player to earn a selection onto the ECAC First Team 24 Although his season had ended O Connor also became the first Dartmouth player to be recognized by the New England Hockey Writers Association as an All New England All Star since David Jones in 2006 07 25 Professional edit Following the conclusion of the season O Connor signed a two year entry level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins 26 He had also been heavily recruited by the Boston Bruins San Jose Sharks Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks Anaheim Ducks vice president of hockey operations David McNab mailed him hand written letters while the Sabres informed him that he could play on Jack Eichel s line 6 As the NHL paused play due to the COVID 19 pandemic O Connor was loaned to the Manglerud Star Ishockey in the GET He tallied six goals and four assists through seven games before reporting to the Penguins training camp in advance of the pandemic shortened 2020 21 NHL season 27 After attending the Penguins training camp O Connor was assigned to their Taxi Squad to begin the season 28 He was recalled to the NHL on January 26 after Evan Rodrigues was injured in the previous game against the New York Rangers 29 O Connor subsequently made his NHL debut that night in a 3 2 win over the Boston Bruins He tallied his first NHL assist in 10 51 minutes of ice time while also seeing time on the second power play unit 30 After making his debut O Connor played three more games for the Penguins before getting re assigned to the taxi squad on February 2 2 He remained with the Taxi Squad for only a few days before returning to the Penguins lineup on February 6 31 He spent the remainder of the month in and out of the Penguins lineup before being re assigned to their American Hockey League AHL affiliate the Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins WBS in early March 32 O Connor made an immediate impact in the WBS lineup by scoring his first professional goal in his first game in the AHL to lead the Penguins to a 6 3 win over the Binghamton Devils 33 By the time O Connor was re assigned to the Penguins Taxi Squad on April 5 he had tallied four goals and four assists for eight points through eight games 34 O Connor finished the AHL regular season with seven goals and 12 assists through 20 games but proved less successful at the NHL level He finished the NHL s regular season playing in 10 games for the Penguins and only accumulating one assist 27 During the 2021 offseason O Connor made numerous dietary changes including cutting out all gluten and all dairy He also worked on putting on more weight in the gym and getting faster 35 After impressing at the Penguins 2021 training camp O Connor made their opening night roster ahead of the 2021 22 season 36 Over his first 12 games of the season he played left wing on a line with center Brian Boyle while averaging 11 02 in ice time 37 On October 16 2021 O Connor scored his first career NHL goal to lead the Penguins to a 5 2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks His goal and assist helped coach Mike Sullivan get the most wins of any coach in Pittsburgh Penguins history 38 O Connor was re assigned to the WBS Penguins on November 14 after Sidney Crosby Brian Dumoulin Marcus Pettersson and Chad Ruhwedel were activated from the NHL s COVID 19 Protocol List 39 At the time of the assignment O Connor had tallied three goals and two assists through 12 games along with 11 hits and five blocked shots 37 He tallied five points over five games in the AHL before rejoining the Penguins at the NHL level on November 28 40 After spending some time on the NHL s COVID 19 Protocol List in January 41 O Connor was re assigned to the AHL on January 10 42 However later that month O Connor suffered from a collapsed lung that was unrelated to his earlier bout with COVID 19 43 He subsequently missed 11 games to recover before rejoining the Pittsburgh Penguins for the team s first practice after the 2022 NHL All Star Game 44 As he continued to split the season between the NHL and AHL O Connor signed a one year contract extension on March 12 2022 with an average annual value of 750 000 45 O Connor finished the AHL regular season with a career high 12 goals and 20 assists for 32 points while leading the team with 0 98 points per game After their regular season ended he rejoined the Penguins at the NHL level for the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs 46 O Connor made his postseason debut with the Penguins during Game 2 of their Eastern First Round series against the New York Rangers He recorded one hit and one blocked shot in 6 33 minutes of ice time in the 5 2 loss 47 He remained sidelined for three more games before stepping in for Crosby in Game 6 48 The Penguins were eventually eliminated by the Rangers in Game 7 49 Although O Connor impressed the Penguins coaching staff during the 2023 training camp and preseason 50 salary cap constraints forced O Connor to open the 2022 23 season with the WBS Penguins 51 After tallying two goals and four assists through the WBS Penguins first eight games O Connor was recalled to the NHL level on October 31 52 He played in three games during his brief recall without accumulating a point before being re assigned to the WBS Penguins on November 6 53 O Connor spent the remainder of November in the AHL where he quickly became their top center and point producer He generated five goals and 11 assists through 12 games and earned another recall to the NHL level on December 14 51 At the time of his recall O Connor had also tied a franchise record for most points collected over two games Over two games one against the Hershey Bears and another against the Cleveland Monsters O Connor had tallied nine points 54 O Connor quickly became a mainstay in the Penguins lineup as he tallied four goals and three assists for seven points over 25 games while averaging nine minutes per game 55 He continued to improve as various injuries befelled some of the Penguins top forwards Appearing in 43 of the team s final 50 games of the season O Connor averaged 9 54 of ice time per contest while accumulating five goals and six assists 51 After the Penguins failed to qualify for the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs O Connor was selected for the United States men s national ice hockey team to compete at the 2023 IIHF World Championship 56 While Team USA failed to medal O Connor tallied three goals and five assists for eight points through 10 games played 57 Upon concluding the championship O Connor re enrolled in Dartmouth to finish his Bachelor s degree in sociology and officially graduated on September 7 2023 While completing classes over the summer he also worked out and trained at Dartmouth s Thompson Arena 58 Ahead of the 2023 24 season the Penguins signed O Connor to a two year contract with an average annual value of 925 000 59 While O Connor started the Penguins training camp on their third line with Lars Eller and Rickard Rakell he finished their preseason on their top line alongside Crosby and Bryan Rust 60 Career statistics editRegular season and playoffs edit Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2013 14 Delbarton School USHS 9 0 1 1 0 2014 15 Delbarton School USHS 28 1 7 8 10 2015 16 North Jersey Avalanche T1EHL 23 6 12 18 6 5 1 1 2 0 2016 17 North Jersey Avalanche T1EHL 31 11 13 24 18 5 2 2 4 4 2016 17 New Jersey Junior Titans NAHL 3 0 0 0 0 2017 18 Boston Jr Bruins NCDC 49 13 26 39 12 6 0 5 5 2 2018 19 Dartmouth College ECAC 34 17 9 26 14 2019 20 Dartmouth College ECAC 31 21 12 33 42 2020 21 Manglerud Star GET 7 6 4 10 8 2020 21 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 10 0 1 1 2 2020 21 Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins AHL 20 7 12 19 14 2021 22 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 22 3 2 5 4 2 0 0 0 0 2021 22 Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins AHL 33 12 20 32 19 2022 23 Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins AHL 20 8 14 22 18 2022 23 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 46 5 6 11 12 2023 24 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 79 16 17 33 20 GET totals 7 6 4 10 8 NHL totals 157 24 26 50 38 2 0 0 0 0 International edit Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2023 United States WC 4th 10 3 5 8 0 Senior totals 10 3 5 8 0Awards and honours editAward Year College All Ivy League Second Team 2019 13 All Ivy League First Team 2020 23 Ivy League Player of the Year 2020 ECAC First Team 2020 24 References edit Drew O Connor Elite Prospects Retrieved April 1 2023 a b c d e Crechiolo Michelle February 2 2021 The Little Engine That Could National Hockey League Retrieved February 2 2021 a b c d Mosk Matthew April 2022 Out of Nowhere Dartmouth College Retrieved April 1 2023 Where Are They Now Brick Hockey Retrieved April 1 2023 New York Rangers Quebec Team Camp Underway Youth1 August 3 2010 Retrieved April 1 2023 a b c Defabo Mike January 29 2021 Drew O Connor s journey from undersized and unnoticed to prime Penguins prospect Pittsburgh Post Gazette Archived from the original on January 29 2021 Retrieved April 1 2023 a b Drew O Connor Dartmouth College Retrieved April 1 2023 NCDC ALUMNI USPHL Archived from the original on January 23 2023 Retrieved April 1 2023 RPI Goalie Linden Marshall earns ECAC Weekly Honors The Record October 29 2018 Retrieved April 1 2023 Salvas Pat November 24 2018 Vermont s Defense Comes Up Big as Dartmouth Falls at Home 5 3 Dartmouth College Retrieved April 1 2023 Salvas Pat March 4 2019 Drew O Connor Earns Second ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Week Award Dartmouth College Retrieved April 1 2023 Salvas Pat March 11 2019 Foreman and O Connor Take Home ECAC Hockey Weekly Honors After Dominant Weekend Dartmouth College Retrieved April 1 2023 a b Salvas Pat March 13 2019 Clark Yau and O Connor Earn 2018 19 All Ivy League Honors Dartmouth College Retrieved April 1 2023 Big Green Hand Out 2018 19 Team Awards Dartmouth College May 22 2019 Retrieved April 1 2023 Bruins Announce 2019 Development Camp Roster amp Schedule National Hockey League June 25 2019 Retrieved April 1 2023 Salvas Pat November 18 2019 Drew O Connor Named ECAC Hockey Player of the Week Dartmouth College Retrieved April 1 2023 a b Wykes Tris January 16 2020 Dartmouth hockey building a lumberjack in O Connor Valley News Archived from the original on January 17 2020 Retrieved April 1 2023 Savas Pat December 28 2019 O Connor Shines as Dartmouth Defeats Colorado College in Ledyard Opener Dartmouth College Retrieved April 1 2023 Salvas Pat December 29 2019 Dartmouth Wins Ledyard Classic With Wild Third Period Comeback vs UConn Dartmouth College Retrieved April 1 2023 Cape Air Athletes of the Week O Connor amp Pietraszek Dartmouth College January 7 2020 Retrieved April 1 2023 Salvas Pat February 28 2020 O Connor s Hat Trick Leads Dartmouth to 5 3 Win vs Union Dartmouth College Retrieved April 1 2023 O Connor Earns League Leading 3rd ECAC Hockey Player of the Week in 2019 20 Dartmouth College March 2 2020 Retrieved April 1 2023 a b Salvas Pat March 4 2020 O Connor Named Co Player of the Year Four Players Earn All Ivy Honors Dartmouth College Retrieved April 1 2023 a b Salvas Pat March 17 2020 Drew O Connor Named All ECAC Hockey First Team for 2019 20 Dartmouth College Retrieved April 1 2023 Salvas Pat April 14 2020 Drew O Connor Named an All New England All Star Dartmouth College Retrieved April 1 2023 Penguins Sign College Free Agent Drew O Connor to a Two Year Contract National Hockey League March 10 2020 Retrieved April 1 2023 a b Rorabaugh Seth September 29 2021 Penguins forward Drew O Connor is better prepared entering his 2nd season Pittsburgh Tribune Review Retrieved April 1 2023 Penguins Finalize 23 Man Roster and Taxi Squad National Hockey League January 11 2021 Retrieved April 1 2023 Defabo Mike January 26 2021 Penguins prospect Drew O Connor makes his NHL debut Pittsburgh Post Gazette Archived from the original on April 1 2023 Retrieved April 1 2023 Crechiolo Michelle January 26 2021 Pens Extend Unbeaten Streak National Hockey League Retrieved April 1 2023 Penguins Recall Drew O Connor from the Taxi Squad National Hockey League February 6 2021 Retrieved April 1 2023 Coe Brian March 5 2021 Pittsburgh Assigns Joseph O Connor To WBS Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins Retrieved April 1 2023 Hart Nick March 6 2021 PENGUINS RALLY TO DEFEAT DEVILS 6 3 Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins Retrieved April 1 2023 Penguins Re Assign Forwards Radim Zohorna and Drew O Connor to Taxi Squad National Hockey League April 5 2021 Retrieved April 1 2023 Leo James October 5 2021 O Connor Impressing With His Confidence and Conviction National Hockey League Retrieved April 1 2023 Crechiolo Michelle October 12 2021 Breaking Down the Penguins Roster Heading into Opening Night National Hockey League Retrieved April 12 2023 a b Morreale Mike November 15 2021 Rookie Watch Fehervary Mercer among best in Metropolitan Division National Hockey League Retrieved April 12 2023 Crosby Wes October 16 2021 Sullivan sets Penguins coaching wins record against Blackhawks National Hockey League Retrieved April 12 2023 Penguins Activate Four Players from the NHL s COVID 19 Protocol List National Hockey League November 14 2021 Retrieved April 12 2023 Penguins Recall Drew O Connor from the Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins National Hockey League November 28 2021 Retrieved April 12 2023 Penguins Re Assign Anthony Angello to the Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins National Hockey League January 4 2022 Retrieved April 12 2023 Penguins Recall Anthony Angello and Radim Zohorna to the Taxi Squad National Hockey League January 10 2022 Retrieved April 12 2023 Rorabaugh Seth January 27 2022 Report Penguins forward Drew O Connor recovering from collapsed lung Pittsburgh Tribune Review Retrieved April 12 2023 Heidinger Grace February 11 2022 Malkin Officially Game Time Decision for Sunday But Anticipated to Play National Hockey League Retrieved April 12 2023 Penguins Re Sign Forward Drew O Connor to a One Year Contract Extension National Hockey League March 12 2022 Retrieved April 12 2023 Penguins Recall Forward Drew O Connor from Wilkes Barre Scranton National Hockey League April 30 2022 Retrieved April 12 2023 Lane Joe May 6 2022 Rangers bounce back defeat Penguins in Game 2 of Eastern First Round National Hockey League Retrieved April 12 2023 Sidney Crosby Ruled Out for Rangers Penguins Game 6 Sports Illustrated May 13 2022 Retrieved November 11 2023 Rangers Eliminate Penguins on Panarin s OT Winner in Game 7 Sports Illustrated May 15 2022 Retrieved November 11 2023 Rossi Rob September 28 2022 The Penguins power play looks bad Drew O Connor gets his look Rossi s observations The Athletic Archived from the original on September 28 2022 Retrieved November 11 2023 a b c Rorabaugh Seth June 6 2023 Penguins A to Z Drew O Connor finally arrives Pittsburgh Tribune Review Archived from the original on June 6 2023 Retrieved November 11 2023 Penguins Recall Forward Drew O Connor from the WBS Penguins National Hockey League October 31 2022 Retrieved November 11 2023 Penguins Re Assign Drew O Connor to the Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins National Hockey League November 6 2022 Retrieved November 11 2023 Stolar Landon December 13 2022 Drew O Connor Recording Franchise Record Production with Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins WNEP Retrieved November 11 2023 Horwat Nick February 27 2023 Drew O Connor Gaining Confidence Earning Regular Role With Penguins The Hockey News Retrieved November 11 2023 Bonino O Connor DeSmith Named to Team USA for IIHF World Championship National Hockey League May 4 2023 Retrieved November 11 2023 P O Joseph and Team Canada Win Gold at the 2023 IIHF World Championship National Hockey League May 28 2023 Retrieved November 11 2022 Horwat Nick September 8 2023 Young Penguins Forward Finishes Degree at Dartmouth The Hockey News Retrieved November 11 2023 Penguins Re Sign Forward Drew O Connor to a Two Year Contract National Hockey League August 2 2023 Retrieved November 11 2023 Destin Austin October 6 2023 Drew O Connor puts finishing touches on sensational preseason proves worth on top line in Penguins win Pittsburgh Post Gazette Archived from the original on October 8 2023 Retrieved November 11 2023 External links editBiographical information and career statistics from NHL com or Eliteprospects com or Hockey Reference com or The Internet Hockey Database or TSN ca Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Drew O 27Connor amp oldid 1219555336, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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