Connelly, Blais-Savoie named to U.S. Junior Select Team

KEARNEY, Neb. (Press Release) - Tri-City Storm players Trevor Connelly and Philippe Blais-Savoie have been named to the United States Junior Select Team ahead of the 2023 World Junior A Challenge. The event will take place in Truro, Nova Scotia Dec. 10-Dec. 17.

Trevor Connelly, 17, Forward, of Tustin, California, has netted four goals and notched a league-leading 16 assists for 20 total points in 16 games played so far this season for the Storm. Connelly netted two goals and recorded two assists in three appearances for Tri-City in the 2023 Clark Cup Playoffs. He scored 24 goals and notched 23 assists for 47 total points in 57 regular season games during his debut season for Tri-City last year. Connelly officially joined the organization by signing a tender agreement to play for the team on March 14, 2022. He made his USHL debut with the Storm on September 22, 2022, in Tri-City’s 4-1 win over the Madison Capitols at the 2022 DICK’S Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. Connelly scored the first goal of his USHL career the next night in the Storm’s 6-4 victory over the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the team’s final game of the season-opening event. Connelly currently leads all Storm players in assists (16), points (20), and shots (64) for the 2023-2024 regular season. He previously skated for the Long Island Gulls (AAA, Syosset, New York), Anaheim Jr. Ice Dogs (AAA, Anaheim, California), and San Diego Saints (AA, La Mesa, California) prior to his time with the Storm. Connelly skated in the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup for USA Hockey, and also participated in the prestigious USA Hockey BioSteel Boys 17 National Festival June 22-June 28, in Amherst, New York. He previously announced a commitment to play collegiate hockey in the future at Providence College.

Philippe Blais-Savoie, 18, Defenseman, of San Jose, California, has scored two goals and recorded two assists for four total points in 16 games played for the Storm this season. He appeared in all four of the team’s games during the 2023 Clark Cup Playoffs. Blais-Savoie notched two points during the Storm’s postseason run last season. He scored two goals, and notched nine assists, for 11 total points during his debut campaign with the team last year. Blais-Savoie has appeared in 77 career games for the Storm. He has netted four goals, and recorded 11 assists, for 15 career points. Blais-Savoie was selected 70th overall by Tri-City in the 5th round of the 2021 USHL Phase I Draft. He made his USHL debut with the Storm on September 22, 2022, in Tri-City’s 4-1 win over the Madison Capitols at the 2022 DICK’S Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. Blais-Savoie netted his first career goal with the organization on October 15, 2022, in the Storm’s 6-3 home loss to the Lincoln Stars at the Viaero Center. He skated for the Valley Christian High Warriors (HS, San Jose, California) and the San Jose Jr. Sharks (AAA, San Jose, California) prior to joining the Storm. Blais-Savoie skated in the prestigious USA Hockey BioSteel Boys 17 National Festival June 22-June 27, 2022, in Amherst, New York. He previously announced a commitment to play collegiate hockey in the future for Colorado College.

“We are very proud of Trevor and Philippe for this well-deserved opportunity. We know it means a lot to them, their families, and everyone who has supported them over the years. There is nothing better in sports than representing your country on the world stage. We look forward to watching and supporting them and the rest of the World Junior A Challenge Team.”- President of Hockey Operations/Head Coach Anthony Noreen.

In addition to current Tri-City Storm players Trevor Connelly and Philippe Blais-Savoie, former Storm defenseman Andrew Strathmann was also named to the 22 player roster.

USA Hockey fields a United States Junior Select Team that competes in the World Junior A Challenge annually. The team is comprised of players who compete in junior hockey leagues across the United States. Team USA will compete against Canada East, Canada West, Slovakia, and Sweden in the event. For more information on the 2023 World Junior A Challenge, visit https://teamusa.usahockey.com/2023wjac.