Trevor Connelly is the NHL Draft's most controversial prospect and could fall into the NY Islanders' lap

How far will Tevor Connelly fall on draft night?

Off-the-ice issues have plagued Connelly, beginning with a Snapchat photo he posted of a teammate in the children's area of a library with blocks assembled in the shape of a swastika. Coincidentally, at the time of that photo, Connelly, a California native, was playing for the Long Island Gulls and was removed from the team after the incident.

“I think it’s important I talk about what happened because it was an awful mistake and I still feel terrible about it,” Connelly told The Rink Live... "I’m very sorry for my ignorant mistake and since then I’ve been doing a lot to try to make up for it.”

There is also a 2021 incident where he was accused of using a racial slur towards a black player. Connelly adamantly denied the incident and was later cleared of any wrongdoing.

Connelly has made efforts to right his wrongs, doing community service and getting involved with Hockey Players of Color, an organization aiming to make hockey a more inclusive place.

While righting his wrongs is a step in the right direction, NHL executives must do their due diligence in determining whether a prospect is right for their organization, taking on and off-the-ice factors into consideration.

So if the Islanders still have their pick come the 20th selection and Connelly is still on the board, Lou Lamoriello has a decision to make. By selecting Connelly, he'd add a player who's bound to become a top-6 forward in the NHL, and would immediately become the orgaization's top prospect.

On the other hand, there are plenty of players with all the skill in the world but have off-ice issues who peter out of the league quickly - with Josh Ho-Sang as an example.

Some teams will have Connelly crossed off their list, like one NHL scout who told Elite Prospects via their draft guide (paid subscription) "I wouldn’t take him in the first round. I would wait until Day 2.”

On the other hand his skill may be enough to overlook past issues.

“At the end of the day, he’s a top-five forward in the draft," one Western Conference scout told Elite Prospects. "On hockey alone, he’s a top-five talent. I think he goes in the middle of the first round. There are some teams in there who, rightly or wrongly, they don’t give a shit. Talent-wise, this kid’s Kyle Connor, fast more bite."

With Lamoriello's old-school mentality, it's difficult to believe he'd be the one to take a chance on a player who doesn't fit his mold. But then again, the Islanders' prospect pool hasn't been this bleak in a long time, and the organization could soon be faced with being toward the bottom of the NHL standings. A player like Connelly could potentially be one to build around in the future.