Drafted in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft, Ryan Commy turned heads last season as a freshman at the University of New Hampshire after leading his team in goals and points. A year later he does it again.

Through eight games this season, Conmy once again leads UNH in goals (6) and points (10), ranks sixth in all of college hockey in goals per game (.75 ​​per game) and does so with high praise from memory coach Mike Souza.

At 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, Conmy played an integral role in helping UNH to their first season above .500 in more than a decade in 2023-2024. With 31 points (14-17-31) in 28 games, Conmy emerged as the focal point of their offensive success, according to Souza.

“He is certainly our most gifted offensive player and a lot of what we do revolves around him and trying to put him in situations where he can excel and help the team,” Souza told LAKI. “Whether it’s on the power play or in 5-on-5 situations, I continue to see him evolve as a player, both mentally and physically. He is constantly working to make himself better.”

Now looking to hit back-to-back seasons above .500 with hopes of a berth in the NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats are off to a 4-3-2 start and are regaining their mojo from last year to find, as Conmy explained.

“I would just like to say that we have to commit as a team and stick to our structure,” he said. “We have a pretty similar team to last year, so we obviously know how to win games and what it takes to have a good season like a year ago. We have to continue to dig deep and really look back and understand what it took to win all those games last year. I think it’s something we’re still working on here. We are now working to do that consistently.”

In terms of his individual play, Conmy has continued the upward trajectory that King’s nation is hoping for.

One reason for that is his determination to win and to be the best he can be at whatever he sets his mind to. Conmy is certainly an experienced player, but also plays the game with a level of competitiveness that allows him to excel against bigger and older players.

“When we first got (Ryan), I didn’t realize he was as competitive as he is – he wants to win everything,” Souza said.

Where does that fire of determination and competitiveness within Conmy come from? Look no further than a simple sibling rivalry with his younger brother growing up.

“I’ve always wanted to be a winner, in every way, since I was as young as I can remember, even the little things, like school supplies, getting higher grades, things with my brother, like messing around and playing basketball outside. , things like that,” Conmy recalled. “I would say I just always want to participate and I think a little part of that was because my brother was always there to be able to do those athletic things with the outdoors. We lived on a cul-de-sac growing up, so we kind of had our own little space where we could do whatever competitions we wanted. It wasn’t always hockey either; we played baseball, basketball, knee hockey, video games and even trivia. I would say that has always pushed me to want to win and I had that mentality growing up.”

That competitiveness in Conmy’s game was evident to Souza over the summer and leading up to this season.

After leading his team in freshman points year, Conmy returned to campus in Durham, NH as a sophomore, better developed and sharper on the ice. Included in that experience was a week in Los Angeles, attending a development camp with the Kings, where he was a standout performer. Already elite among college scorers, Conmy consistently creates offense for himself and his teammates. He has added something to his game.

“He’s done a great job of adding to his game,” Souza said. “He has improved so much with his first three steps and break, they are high quality and his lead is excellent. He has the ability to beat guys 1-on-1, but he also has the ability to run checks and create separation from virtually nothing, so he’s continued to work on that, and a lot of that comes from his work in the gym. off the ice and get stronger. He’s a guy who seeks information, which is nice. He is always looking for feedback and ways to improve his game, and that is what you want as a coach. You want guys who are constantly looking for information. He certainly does.”

As previously mentioned and expected, Conmy’s dedication to the game is not just one-dimensional. Reaching the next level is not possible.

When it comes to the off-ice portion of the game, Conmy set the precedent for fitness at UNH earlier this year. The Wildcats head coach noted that Conmy won his team’s “Nate Hardy Iron Man Award” this season, given for fitness.

“If the guy who leads your team in scoring also comes in and wins your off-ice Test award, I think that in itself says a lot about who he is.”

Back on the ice, Conmy entered this season with the goal of being even better offensively than last year. Conmy wants to become an even bigger threat in scoring and creating and has adjusted his mentality when entering the offensive zone.

That’s a high bar to set after what was a nearly point-per-game season last year.

“I would say I have a more aggressive mentality (this season),” Conmy explained. “I wanted to get more shots through and on target. During the off-season I worked a lot on photography. Your shot can be as good as you want it to be, but if you have the mentality to shoot and shoot, it often becomes even more dangerous. Maybe it’s not the best angle, but just by getting pucks on net, sometimes you get lucky and score or help your teammates by creating a rebound. Having the mentality to shoot as much as possible is a place where I have grown mentally during the offseason.”

Conmy, a smaller player himself, looked to Montreal forward Cole Caufield for inspiration.

Not even necessarily comparing their playing styles, but Conmy watched an interview Caufield did where he himself reflected that he wasn’t shooting the puck enough. Caufield is certainly a scorer, and Conmy believes he is too, at the NCAA level. Shooting creates offense, was the message in that interview, even if it is not the shooter who scores, there are opportunities with second chances.

Even as the team’s top offensive producer, Conmy knows that playing while in possession of the puck is only half the game. Conmy is dedicated to all aspects of the game and is equally focused on improving his play in the defensive and neutral zone. So much so that Conmy has even logged consistent minutes on the penalty kill, Souza told LAKI.

“Like all attacking players, he wants to play with the puck, so we worked a lot on how defensively, less is more and how to be in the right place at all times,” he said. “He has been very aware of his play without the puck and as a result he is one of the first players to typically kill penalties for us this year. So that’s a credit to his game. Obviously he’s also a threat to score from shorthand, but he’s fast, he’s smart, he’s got a really good stick and I think the attention to detail on the penalty kill has been sparked by his five-on-five efforts without the puck.

Coming from the Kings prospect himself, Conmy sees himself and wants to be trusted as a 60-foot player in all aspects of the game.

“I have always taken pride in playing from 60 yards. I always pay attention to the little details, like having a good stick in the defensive zone and being in the right position,” he added. “The fact that we do all that first and foremost and always give 110% effort is something we are known for in our team. The efforts are always there. Now I’m focusing on the little details that can personally help me more on the defensive side of the puck. Obviously if you play well in the defensive zone and this leads to attack. When we’re in the defensive zone, I’m not worried about going down and scoring. I worry about getting the puck out and getting it through the neutral zone, and then I change my mindset to trying to score. That is my process.”

As Conmy continues to add and round out his game to become the complete player he wants to be in college and beyond, Conmy should definitely be someone on the radar of Kings fans.

How soon could we see it in black, silver and white in Ontario or LA? That has yet to be determined, but Souza jokingly and selfishly hopes it will last a while…

“He is a man who is ambitious, wants to play in the National Hockey League and realizes that there is a lot involved. Sure, he’s a kid who’s constantly improving. He shoots the puck like an NHLer now, he has an NHL release. He has a competitive spirit that I think people notice. He chases pucks, his acceleration is high-end and I think he’s a guy who will definitely find his way to the NHL. He’s someone the LA Kings will be happy with, but not too soon, selfishly speaking,” Souza said with a laugh.

Photo by Gary A. Vasquez/NHLI via Getty Images