Loomis Chaffee defenseman Kennedy O’Connor commits to UMass

Kennedy O’Connor will follow in his father’s footsteps and play college hockey for the University of Massachusetts.

The Loomis Chaffee junior defenseman announced his intention to play for the Minutemen on Friday. O’Connor, who also plays split-season midget hockey for Yale 18U, hails from Springfield, Mass. His father, Tom O’Connor, played for UMass from 1994 to 1998.

“I chose UMass because I connected with (head coach Greg) Carvel and his staff and the culture that they are building there," O'Connor said. "I have always been a Minutemen fan (since) my father is an alumni of the UMass hockey program, and I admire him as a person and a player."

The 6-foot-1, left-shot defenseman has elevated his stock over the last 12 months. Always considered a good prospect, he added size and has continued to show solid instincts. A complete, two-way defenseman who excels in his own zone, his first step is good.

“I am a strong two-way defenseman that has a physical presence on the ice and competes with an edge,” O’Connor said of his own game.

Yale Midget Hockey Director Steve Novodor, who's an assistant coach for the Pelicans, reinforced those strides forward.

“(He) has progressed every year since he has been apart of Yale and Loomis,” Novodor said.

O’Connor is still learning to be consistently assertive in all facets of the game, but that aspect of his development has been noteworthy.

“He is one of the hardest working kids and toughest kids I have coached," Novodor said. "Besides his upside and how he has progressed, he has the skill that not many D have, which is open-ice hitting. He has the ability to read the play and line players up. Not only is he skilled, he's a physical presence on the ice. He hasn't even come close to reaching his ceiling."

O’Connor is expected to begin playing for UMass during the 2020-21 season.