Rubuta ci gaba ga wannan sakin layi - A ranar 24 ga Yuni, 2001, a NHL Entry Draft
, Connolly da Taylor Pyatt sun yi musayar da 'yan tsibirin zuwa Buffalo Sabres don kyaftin Michael Peca. Bayan rasa wasanni uku ne kawai na wasanni na yau da kullum a cikin farkon shekaru hudu a gasar, raunin da ya fara farautar Connolly ya fara ne a shekara ta 2003<unk>04. Ya rasa dukkanin kakar wasa tare da ciwo bayan ciwo bayan da ya sha wahala a cikin wasan da aka yi a kakar wasa ta Chicago Blackhawks. A lokacin kulle-kullen NHL na 2004-05, ya buga rabin rabin kakar wasa tare da SC Langnau a cikin Nationalliga A na Switzerland.