The man piloting the Jets this post-season is a 22-year-old forward who has a team-high five points in four playoff games.
So just who the heck is Kyle Connor?
The young man was drafted 17th overall in 2015. Now, the Michigan product is a rising superstar for the Winnipeg Jets’ latest playoff run.
If you stayed awake to watch the Jets beat the St. Louis Blues in overtime Tuesday night, you saw this moment:
And here it is in GIF form:
But Connor stayed humble about the OT winning goal.
“We just stuck with it, fought the whole game,” he said of the win. “It’s exciting, we’re ready to go home.”
A few facts about Connor:
- The Jets landed Connor, a left-winger, in the first round in 2015
- He spent only one season in school with his hometown University of Michigan Wolverines before turning pro
- Connor split his first two years between the Jets and the Manitoba Moose in the AHL
- This past season marked his first full year, netting him 34 goals and 32 assists in 82 games
Over the past season, Connor’s popularity has grown, especially thanks to a cheeky chicken meme floating around on social media.
If you’ve wondered what the KFC chant means, it’s Kyle Connor’s name … along with a certain swear word in the middle. Or you can substitute ‘freakin’ if you prefer to keep it non-greasy.
The team, players and fans have run with the joke.
There are even T-shirts for sale:
No matter what, fans will have at least two more games to watch KFC score.