Eagles’ O’Neil Brings Good Fortune
Jan 20, 2023
By: Nicole Boldrin
There are not many professional hockey players who can say they scored their first American Hockey League goal in only their second game, but Colorado Eagles forward Kevin O’Neil can.
O’Neil, the newest Eagle who was signed to a professional tryout agreement on January 17th, scored his first AHL goal playing for the Hershey Bears on December 31st. The 24-year-old blasted a one-timer from the right circle, lighting the lamp, to tie the game 3-3 with 14:21 left in regulation.
O'Neil's first American Hockey League goal was a New Year’s Eve gift that slipped in right before the start of 2023.
“It was very cool,” O’Neil said. “It’s something I’ve dreamed of even just playing in the AHL and just playing pro hockey. It was nice that it worked out. It was quite an end and an unbelievable feeling for sure.”
After his stint with the Bears, the rookie forward returned to the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays where he has already produced 12 goals and 13 assists in just 26 games this season. Those 12 goals currently rank third on the Stingrays roster, while his 25 points are good for fifth on the team.
Now O’Neil has made his return to the AHL with the Colorado Eagles, representing number 71 on his sweater.
“I am very grateful for this opportunity,” he said. “We were on our all-star break in Charleston and I got the call. I was actually going to the golf course with some friends when I got the call, but I’m very happy to make the trip and be here.”
O’Neil has a strong support system to lean back on and help guide him along the way, as he paves his career as a professional hockey player.
“I let my parents know and my sister when I got the call,” O’Neil said. “They’re all very excited and with me on this journey.”
The Latham, New York native believes his time with Hershey has prepared him for his first game at the Budweiser Event’s Center.
“It’s nice that I played a couple games in Hershey, so I got used to the speed a little bit,” he said. “I try to think of it as just another hockey game, even though it's a little faster.”
Before making the jump to the pro game, O’Neil collected 17 goals and 27 assists in 94 games at Yale University. He then wrapped up his NCAA career by notching six goals and 10 assists in 36 contests at the University of Connecticut during the 2021-22 season.
The Colorado Eagles and their fans are happy to have the 5-11, 180-pound winger be a part of the organization and see him develop as a player, and he is just as excited to be a part of Eagles Country.
“The atmosphere here is awesome,” O’Neil said. “Even our facility here and everything. It’s a very nice setup and the fans were great, so it’s cool to be here. I hope to help the team win and stay here as long as I can.”
Hopefully there are a few more New Year’s miracles in store for O’Neil this year, as he creates positive outcomes on the ice and grows as a young professional. With the new year comes good fortune, so the future is bright for O’Neil.
