Kevin Connauton Bio
Kevin Connauton (born February 23, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Utah Mammoth of the National Hockey League (NHL). Selected 83rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Connauton has built a career spanning more than a decade across multiple NHL organizations. Over the years, he has also appeared for the Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, and Philadelphia Flyers. Known for his strong skating and powerful shot, he has remained a reliable depth defenceman at both the NHL and AHL levels.
Early Life and Background
Kevin Connauton was born on February 23, 1990, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, to William Connauton and Glenna Demco. He grew up in a supportive household that nurtured his early interest in hockey. His father, William Connauton, is a prominent Edmonton attorney who represented Daryl Katz, the owner of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League, during Connauton’s adolescence. Because of that family connection to the Oilers’ ownership, Connauton and his family grew up supporting the Edmonton Oilers.
Connauton’s older brother, Sean Connauton, also pursued hockey at a competitive level and played college ice hockey as a defenceman for Brown University. Growing up in a hockey-aware household in Edmonton clearly shaped Kevin’s path toward the sport. The city’s strong junior hockey scene gave him the platform to develop his skills from a young age.
Path to Professional Hockey
Kevin Connauton began his junior career in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) with the Spruce Grove Saints during the 2007–08 season. He recorded 13 goals and 45 points over 56 games, finishing first among rookie defencemen and third among defencemen overall. His strong play earned him a nomination for AJHL Rookie of the Year and a unanimous selection to the AJHL North All-Rookie Team.
Following his junior A season, Connauton signed with the Western Michigan Broncos of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) in April 2008. Originally slated to join the Broncos for the 2009–10 season, he was invited to the 2008–09 roster after Jesse Perrin departed for the Central Hockey League. As a freshman, he recorded seven goals and 18 points, earning an honourable mention to the CCHA All-Rookie Team. Entering the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, he was ranked 202nd among North American draft-eligible prospects and was selected 83rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks, making him the highest-drafted CCHA player that year.
Kevin Connauton Career
Early Career (2010–2013)
After his draft year, Connauton joined the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the 2009–10 season at the urging of Canucks management, who felt major junior hockey would better his development. He quickly emerged as a top-scoring defenceman in the WHL, breaking Jonathon Blum’s record for goals by a Giants defenceman on January 3, 2010, with his 19th goal of the season. Connauton was named WHL Player of the Week after a four-goal, 10-point run in five games and later surpassed Brent Regner’s franchise mark for most points by a Giants defenceman. He finished the season leading all WHL defencemen and rookies with 72 points in 69 games and was named to the WHL West First All-Star Team.
On April 28, 2010, Connauton signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks and was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. He scored a game-winning goal in his AHL debut on October 8, 2010, against goaltender Ben Bishop, and finished his rookie professional season with 23 points in 73 games. The following year, with the Canucks’ new affiliate the Chicago Wolves, he was selected to the 2012 AHL All-Star Game, where he won the hardest shot competition with a slapshot of 99.4 miles per hour.
Vancouver to Dallas Transition (2013–2014)
On April 2, 2013, the Canucks traded Connauton and a second-round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft to the Dallas Stars for centre Derek Roy. At the time, Connauton was leading the Chicago Wolves in goals by a defenceman with seven and was second in points by a defenceman with 25. He began the 2013–14 season with Dallas and made his NHL debut on October 24, 2013, against the Calgary Flames, officially beginning his top-level career.
Columbus Blue Jackets Breakthrough (2014–2016)
On November 18, 2014, Connauton was placed on waivers by the Stars, but before he could travel to their AHL affiliate in Austin, Texas, he was claimed by the Columbus Blue Jackets. After going pointless in his first three games and briefly serving as a healthy scratch, Connauton caught fire upon his return, scoring seven goals in his first 21 games and accumulating 16 points by mid-March. His strong defensive play led the Blue Jackets to trade James Wisniewski to the Anaheim Ducks, and Connauton finished the season tied for 12th among NHL defencemen in ice time, including six games where he exceeded 20 minutes.
Arizona Coyotes Era (2016–2019)
On January 13, 2016, Connauton was claimed off waivers by the Arizona Coyotes. He settled into a steady role in Arizona, and on June 27, 2018, he signed a two-year contract extension with the club. During the 2018–19 season, he appeared in 50 games with the Coyotes, contributing one goal and eight points while playing a bottom-six defensive role.
Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers (2019–2021)
On June 25, 2019, Connauton was traded by the Coyotes, along with a third-round 2020 draft pick, to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Carl Söderberg. He began the 2019–20 season with the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, where he posted five goals and 27 points in 38 games. After the COVID-19 pandemic paused the AHL season, Connauton joined Colorado’s playoff roster and made four postseason appearances, registering one assist. As a free agent, he joined the Florida Panthers on a professional tryout basis on December 27, 2020, and signed a one-year, two-way contract on January 14, 2021, before agreeing to a one-year extension on June 1, 2021.
Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings (2021–2024)
On December 7, 2021, the Philadelphia Flyers claimed Connauton on waivers from the Panthers. He spent the next two seasons in the Flyers organization before being traded on June 6, 2023, to the Los Angeles Kings as part of a three-team deal also involving the Columbus Blue Jackets. During the 2023–24 season, Connauton played exclusively with the Kings’ AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, recording three goals and 18 points in 61 regular season games.
Utah Mammoth Era (2024–Present)
As a free agent from the Kings, Connauton signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Utah Mammoth (then known as the Utah Hockey Club) on July 1, 2024. He was assigned to the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL, where he continues to provide veteran defensive depth while remaining under contract to Utah’s NHL roster.
Driving Style and Strengths
Connauton’s game has long been defined by his mobility and his strong breakout pass, two traits highlighted by Canucks director of collegiate scouting Stan Smyl at the time of his draft. Associate scout Thomas Gradin also praised his skating abilities. He owns a heavy shot, showcased when he won the AHL All-Star Game hardest shot event at 99.4 miles per hour. Those tools have allowed him to remain a reliable, minute-eating depth defenceman at both the NHL and AHL levels.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Connauton’s standout moments, his record-setting 2009–10 season with the Vancouver Giants stands out, as he set new franchise marks for goals and points by a defenceman. His 2014–15 surge with the Columbus Blue Jackets, which directly preceded the trade of James Wisniewski, remains another career highlight. Winning the 2012 AHL All-Star Game hardest shot competition also marked one of his most memorable early professional achievements.
Kevin Connauton Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Connauton was raised in Edmonton, Alberta, by his parents William Connauton and Glenna Demco. His father, William, is a well-known Edmonton attorney whose clients have included Daryl Katz, owner of the Edmonton Oilers, which helped shape Kevin’s lifelong connection to the Oilers. His older brother, Sean Connauton, also played college ice hockey as a defenceman at Brown University, continuing the family’s involvement in the sport.
Personal Life
Publicly available information about Kevin Connauton’s personal life outside of hockey remains limited. He has largely kept details about relationships, marital status, and children away from the public eye. His long career across numerous NHL organizations reflects a steady, professional approach to the sport.
2025 Season Performance
Kevin Connauton enters the 2025 calendar year under contract with the Utah Mammoth and assigned to the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL. With Utah still establishing itself as a new franchise, Connauton’s veteran presence is expected to provide stability and mentorship within the organization’s depth chart. His two-year contract signed in July 2024 runs through the 2025–26 season, keeping him within the Mammoth system.
Should injuries or roster needs arise at the NHL level, Connauton’s mobility, shot, and experience make him a likely candidate for a recall to Utah’s blueline. His track record of stepping into larger roles, including his 2014–15 stretch with the Blue Jackets, shows he can handle increased responsibility when called upon.
As Utah continues its push to become a consistent NHL contender, Connauton’s steady play in Tucson will remain an important part of the organization’s developmental pipeline heading into 2025.