When the Vegas Golden Knights entered the NHL 10 seasons ago, most expected they’d be led by a talented collection of homegrown players the team drafted and developed by now.

It made sense given previous new teams’ paths and the organization’s deftness in requiring assets through the expansion draft, but the exact opposite has turned out to be true.

The Golden Knights have aggressively dealt away the vast majority of their top prospects and draft capital for more established difference-makers going on a decade now.

The strategy has certainly worked, giving the team one of the most star-studded rosters in hockey and yielding a Stanley Cup title in 2023, but there is a minor downside. The fan base has largely missed out on the thrill of watching the highest-regarded young players grow in the minor leagues and then break out in the NHL.

That seems to be changing this season. The Golden Knights are off to another strong start, including winning six of their first eight games, and a big reason for the success is the type of player relatively foreign to the franchise — a star rookie in Trevor Connelly.

The 20-year-old former first-round pick has four goals, three assists and was recently promoted to the Golden Knights’ top power-play unit.

“I have such confidence in him,” teammate Mitch Marner said. “He’s such a good player. You see it on the daily, just the plays he makes. … He’s got the skillset. (The fast start) is not really surprising.”

Connelly’s biggest moment isn’t even included in the statistics line because it occurred after regulation and a five-minute overtime period. He fooled future Hall of Fame goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and backhanded the game-winning goal in a 4-3 shootout victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 8 at T-Mobile Arena.

Coach Ryan Craig, who spent one full season and part of another coaching Connelly with the Henderson Silver Knights, said he had no hesitation sending the youngster out with the game on the line.

“I’ve seen him do that at the American Hockey League level,” Craig said. “At that point, it’s a one-on-one with the goalie.”

Craig is always going to trust Connelly in a one-on-one. The rookie’s shot might be his biggest strength, and he’s wiping away any concern that it might not be NHL ready yet.

But he’s not relying solely on his quick release, as his first NHL goal came in an opening-night 5-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks when he established himself at the net front.

“It’s been awesome,” Connelly said when asked how his first few weeks in the NHL have felt. “It’s a dream come true. It’s just putting the past behind and focusing day by day on practice and just trying to do my best on the ice every practice and every game.”

Connelly was a controversial selection in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, held at the Sphere. He was considered more talented than the No. 19 overall pick, where the Golden Knights chose him, but came with character concerns because of several incidents throughout his youth-hockey career.

But the Golden Knights said they put in their due diligence on Connelly and felt comfortable taking him. There have been no reported troubles with Connelly as a professional, with teammates praising his work ethic and eagerness to improve.

Craig initially said he would give Connelly a chance with the NHL players at training camp and see how it went. Connelly immediately proved he belonged and hasn’t come close to relinquishing his opportunity.

“Especially in your first year, every game is a learning lesson,” Marner said. “There’s always things you can learn from. I think he’s done a really good job of taking that and being better the next game.”

Marner particularly has become a mentor to Connelly, who called the relationship “surreal” given how much he looked up to the 29-year-old veteran from afar as recently as a few years ago.

Connelly has attached himself to Marner on the road and even got the invite for dinner with his family at his home in Las Vegas. When they share the ice on the power play, Connelly knows what to expect too.

“Just got to be ready at all times, stick on the ice, and think, next time when I get a chance, this is going in the net,” Connelly said.

This story originally appeared in Las Vegas Weekly.