Jack Connolly (ice hockey, born 1989) explained

Jack Connolly
Birth Date:1989 8, mf=yes
Birth Place:Duluth, Minnesota, U.S.
Position:Center
Height Ft:5
Height In:8
Weight Lb:170
Shoots:Left
Played For:Färjestad BK
Leksands IF
Rögle BK
Luleå HF
Draft:Undrafted
Career Start:2012
Career End:2024

Jack Connolly (born August 15, 1989) is an American former professional ice hockey center who played twelve seasons in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He played college hockey for the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs.

Playing career

Connolly played his high school hockey at the Marshall School, in Duluth, Minnesota before playing junior hockey in the United States Hockey League with the Sioux Falls Stampede during the 2007–08 season. He began playing for the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs in the 2008 season.[1] He helped UMD to their first ever NCAA Men's Hockey Championship in 2011. As a senior in 2011–12, he finished the regular season ranked second in the nation in scoring and 8th on the Minnesota-Duluth career points with 197 points. Connolly played in every Minnesota-Duluth hockey game during his four years, equalling a total of 166 games. Connolly was named All-American three times and on April 6, 2012, he won the 2012 Hobey Baker Award.[2]

Undrafted, Connolly, like his brother, opted to pursue a professional career abroad and signed to play the 2012–13 season, with Swedish team Färjestad BK in Elitserien.

After two seasons, Connolly left as a free agent to sign with fellow SHL club, Leksands IF on April 23, 2014.[3] His older brother Chris was also a teammate. In the 2014–15 season, Connolly left Leksands after 8 scoreless games to join HockeyAllsvenskan club, Rögle BK on October 9, 2014. Connolly adapted quickly to produce 30 points in 40 games to help Rögle BK gain promotion to return to the SHL.

He ended his career with Luleå HF, with whom he played six seasons.[4]

Personal life

Connolly has been married to Malaree Stauber since 2014. His father-in-law is Jamie Stauber, a member of a well-known hockey playing family from Duluth, Minnesota.[5]

Career statistics

Team League GP GPG A Pts PIM
2006–07Marshall SchoolUSHS31 37 40 77 26
2007–08Sioux Falls StampedeUSHL58 26 46 72 303 0 3 3 0
2008–09University of Minnesota DuluthWCHA43 10 19 29 47
2009–10University of Minnesota DuluthWCHA40 18 31 49 47
2010–11University of Minnesota DuluthWCHA42 18 41 59 34
2011–12University of Minnesota DuluthWCHA41 20 40 60 28
2012–13Färjestad BKSEL34 8 11 19 1610 0 5 5 4
2013–14Färjestad BKSHL55 11 12 23 4514 1 2 3 2
2014–15Leksands IFSHL8 0 0 0 2
2014–15Rögle BKAllsv40 6 24 30 810 1 5 6 2
2015–16Rögle BKSHL50 9 28 37 14
2016–17Rögle BKSHL52 4 24 28 16
2017–18Rögle BKSHL52 5 14 19 6
2018–19Luleå HFSHL52 16 19 35 2610 1 5 6 2
2019–20Luleå HFSHL52 5 19 24 24
2020–21Luleå HFSHL52 10 20 30 167 0 3 3 2
2021–22Luleå HFSHL35 10 7 17 1617 4 5 9 4
2022–23Luleå HFSHL51 5 21 26 1410 1 1 2 4
2023–24Luleå HFSHL52 2 14 16 87 2 1 3 8
SHL totals545 85 189 274 20375 9 22 33 26

Awards and honors

AwardYear
2007–08[6]
All-WCHA First Team2009–10
AHCA West Second-Team All-American2009–10
All-WCHA First Team2010–11[7]
AHCA West First-Team All-American2010–11
All-WCHA First Team2011–12
AHCA West First-Team All-American2011–12
Hobey Baker Award2011–12
Premier Player of College Hockey2011–12

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Minnesota-Duluth's Connolly born for the role he's in :: USCHO.com :: U.S. College Hockey Online. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120314205703/http://www.uscho.com/2012/03/12/minnesota-duluths-connolly-born-for-the-role-hes-in. 2012-03-14.
  2. Web site: Roberts. Craig. Jack Connolly earns Hobey Baker Award. mnhockeyhub.com. April 29, 2018. April 6, 2012.
  3. Web site: Connolly brothers and Himelfarb ready for Leksands . . April 23, 2014 . April 23, 2014 . Swedish.
  4. Web site: Bryter kontraktet och går i pension . Breaks contract and quits career . . Simon . Norberg. 28 February 2024 . Swedish.
  5. Web site: Hockey runs thick in Stauber blood. Duluth News Tribune. Rick. Weegman. December 23, 2013. October 28, 2024.
  6. Web site: Connolly picks up Dave Tyler Player of the Year accolade . . February 3, 2010 . February 3, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091128185716/http://www.ushl.com/news/story.cfm?id=1381 . November 28, 2009 . dead .
  7. http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=555737 Matt Frattin, Jake Gardiner Named To All-WCHA Teams – Toronto Maple Leafs – News