Connelly seeks to put past mistake behind after being selected 19th in NHL draft by Golden Knights

LAS VEGAS (AP) — It meant little to Trevor Connelly what spot he was selected in the NHL draft — first round or beyond — due to the regrettable decision he made in the past.

What ultimately mattered to the 18-year-old is the work he put in through volunteer work and diversity training to put him on a path forward in hockey after being selected 19th overall by the draft host Vegas Golden Knights on Friday night.

“I think I could go higher, if maybe some of the stuff didn’t happened. But, honestly, it’s the happiest that I could’ve been where I got selected,” said Connelly, who’s draft stock dropped in the two years since he posted an image Snapchat — before hastily removing it — showing a friend posing in front of a collection of building blocks formed in the shape of a swastika.

He was also accused of making a racial slur during a game in 2021, though a suspension was lifted when an investigation was unable to corroborate what happened. Connelly has apologized for posting the picture, and disputed making the racial slur.

“I’ve made mistakes as a kid and I’m such a different person now,” said Connelly, who is from Tustin, California, and committed to attending Providence this year. “I think what I’ve been put through these past couple of years are for a reason. I think that it’s all going to work out for the best for me and I’ll do anything for the organization, anything for the people and I’m super excited to get started.”

GM Kelly McCrimmon said Vegas officials conducted what he called a “very extensive” background check on the player, while also meeting with Connelly at the scouting combine in Buffalo, New York, and then again this week.

“I think (he showed) some growth and some recognition of some areas where he had made mistakes and recognized that,” McCrimmon said. “He was very candid, transparent, didn’t duck any of the questions that we asked of him.”

Not in question are the 6-foot, 156-pound forward’s abilities.

Connelly is coming off a season with the Tri-City Storm in which he finished second in the USHL with 78 points (31 goals, 47 assists) in 52 games. He has also represented the U.S., most recently winning a silver medal at the 2024 Under-18 world championships.

Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan uses CapFriendly all the time to look up salary information and other data around the NHL. Soon, he and members of the organization will be the only ones with access after the Capitals bought the website this month.

Suffice it to say, his colleagues are not thrilled at having that tool taken away from them.

“I don’t think anybody’s happy,” MacLellan said on a video call with reporters Thursday. “The whole industry is not very happy about it.”

CapFriendly is still available through the draft and start of free agency next week before the public side of it goes dark sometime in July.

“Our biggest fear was it was going to go away and we weren’t going to be able to use it,” said MacLellan, who added the front office looked into making its own site before realizing it was too expensive and time-consuming. “We can build off it. We have the people that created it, so we can build and we can hopefully become more efficient as an organization on salary cap decisions, CBA decisions and then use it on our analytics side, too: create a format that works for us that way.”

Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Detroit’s choice at No. 15, made history as the first player from Norway drafted in the first round. Brandsegg-Nygard played in the Swedish Hockey League last season, and his heard his name called at the draft by a Hall of Famer from that Scandanavian nation, Nicklas Lidstrom.

Stian Stolberg became the second player from Norway taken in the first round not long after, when Anaheim traded up to select him at No. 23. Goaltending coach Sudarshan “Sudsy” Maharaj, who recently beat cancer, announced the Ducks’ selection.

Sidney Crosby is a little over a year from potentially becoming a free agent. But the three-time Stanley Cup-winning Pittsburgh Penguins captain and his camp have discussed an extension with general manager Kyle Dubas, which could not actually be signed until Monday, anyway.

“We’re talking,” Crosby said Friday on a video call with reporters to discuss the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. “There’s been a little but of talk, I think with the draft and free agency and stuff like that. It’s something that I’ll keep between Kyle and I, but we’ve had some conversations and I’ll just kind of leave it at that. ... We’ll see what happens.”

The Penguins, with Dubas in charge, remain in win-now mode. Center Evgeni Malkin is signed through 2026 and defenseman Kris Letang through 28.

Crosby turns 37 before next season.

AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno and AP freelance writer W.G. Ramirez contributed to this report.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, left, is congratulated after being selected by the Detroit Red Wings during the first round round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

FILE - Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid is congratulated by Colorado Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon, left to right, Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby and Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews after winning the NHL All-Star hockey skills competition in Toronto, Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon have never played together internationally for Canada. Same for Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel and Matthew Tkachuk with the U.S. That is finally set to change next year at the 4 Nations Face-Off, an international tournament precursor to the 2026 Milan Olympics that marks the return of NHL players to that world stage.(Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP, File)

Trevor Connelly heads to the stage after being selected by the Vegas Golden Knights during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

Trevor Connelly, center, is congratulated after being selected by the Vegas Golden Knights during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

Trevor Connelly, center, poses after being selected by the Vegas Golden Knights during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

LEIPZIG, Germany (AP) — Austria is bidding to go farther than it ever has at a European Championship when it takes on Turkey in the round of 16. The Austrians surprisingly topped a group ahead of France and the Netherlands and are bullish about progressing to the quarterfinals under German coach Ralf Rangnick. Turkey has shown signs of individual brilliance but is yet to click at Euro 2024 and will be without suspended captain Hakan Calhanoglu. Kickoff is at 9 p.m. local time (1900 GMT) on Tuesday. Here’s what to know about the match:

— Turkey reached the semifinals of Euro 2008 and is looking for another deep run in the tournament. But Italian coach Vincenzo Montella’s team struggled to beat 10-man Czech Republic in the last game and was beaten 3-0 by Portugal before that. Turkey qualified for the knockout stage as runner-up in Group F.

— Austria recovered from an opening 1-0 loss to France by beating Poland 3-1 and then the Netherlands 3-2 to top Group D.

— Calhanoglu and defender Samet Akaydin are suspended for Turkey because of an accumulation of yellow cards, while 10 of its players – including Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz – are in danger of missing the next match if booked.

— Austria will be without suspended defender Patrick Wimmer, while eight players including captain Marko Arnautovic are in danger of suspension.

— Austria and Turkey played a friendly in Vienna in March, when Austria won 6-1.

— Turkey defeated Austria 6-0 on aggregate in a playoff to reach the 2002 World Cup, where the team went on to finish third.

— Austria lost only one of its 10 qualifying games for Euro 2024 and lost only once last year. Rangnick’s team has won 14 of its last 19 matches, losing just two.

— Turkey came into Euro 2024 without a win in five matches.

— Austria has never been involved in a competitive penalty shootout, while Turkey defeated Croatia 4-2 in a shootout in the Euro 2008 quarterfinals.

— Both captains, Calhanoglu and Arnautovic, helped Inter Milan win Serie A last season.

— Austria’s Marcel Sabitzer and Turkey’s Salih Ozcan are Borussia Dortmund teammates, while Turkey defender Mert Muldur was born in Vienna. The Fenerbahce player was in the youth ranks of Rapid Vienna with Austria players Niklas Hedl and Leopold Querfeld.

— If Austria wins, it could mean a quick rematch in Berlin against the Dutch. The winner of this game will play the Netherlands or Romania in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

— Turkey had concerns about Real Madrid star Arda Guler during the group stage, but the 19-year-old attacking midfielder played from the start in the final group game and should be fit.

— Rangnick reported no late injury worries on Monday. Real Madrid defender David Alaba, who would have been captain, is missing the tournament as he recovers from a knee injury.

— Austria has a better record with nine wins to Turkey’s seven from their previous 17 meetings. There was one draw.

— Austria’s six goals at Euro 2024 have all come from different players.

— Austria is playing in the Euros for the fourth time and the third in succession. Its campaign was ended in the last 16 by eventual champion Italy in the last edition.

— Turkey is making its sixth tournament appearance, and third in succession.

— It will be Turkey’s first game in Leipzig.

“They are a very tough team who apply a lot of pressure. In the friendly there, we couldn’t respond to their pressure. I see this more as just another match rather than a chance for revenge. We want to win this match; even if it’s 1-0, it needs to be ours. We need to eliminate them and move forward.” — Turkey defender Zeki Celik.

“It doesn’t matter to us if our opponents are Austria or another country, to be honest. It wouldn’t be right to see this as an opportunity for revenge. Excessive ambition could backfire on us. We should keep both feet on the ground and do everything we can to win the game.” — Turkey goalkeeper Mert Gunok.

“The team knows full well that no matter who we play against, if we give our best performance, we can beat any opponent. But the players are still completely grounded and know exactly what’s important. The energy we bring to the field is what has made us a special team so far.” — Austria coach Ralf Rangnick.

AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024

Turkey's Kerem Akturkoglu, right, celebrates with his teammate Arda Guler after scoring his side's third goal during a Group F match between Turkey and Georgia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Turkey's Kerem Akturkoglu, bottom, celebrates with his teammate Arda Guler after scoring his side's third goal during a Group F match between Turkey and Georgia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Turkey's Arda Guler gestures during a Group F match between Czech Republic and Turkey at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. Turkey won 2-1. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Austria's Marcel Sabitzer (9) scores a goal past Micky van de Ven of the Netherlands (15) during a Group D match at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Austria's Marcel Sabitzer celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during a Group D match between the Netherlands and Austria at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)

Austria's Marcel Sabitzer, right, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during a Group D match between the Netherlands and Austria at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)