From Montreal to Ralph Engelstad Arena
In a feature interview with the Grand Forks Herald, University of North Dakota freshman forward Connor Davis opened up about his transition to college hockey, his roots in Quebec, and the path that brought him to Grand Forks. Davis, who hails from Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, has tallied four points through his first five collegiate games, establishing an immediate presence on the ice after arriving from the prep school ranks.
Growing up in a province where the QMJHL serves as the traditional pipeline for elite talent, Davis took a different route. Education played a central role in his upbringing, prioritized by parents who valued academics alongside athletics. Exposure to prep school hockey opened his eyes to college hockey in the United States, prompting him to research American universities.
“North Dakota has always been at the top of my list,” Davis told the Grand Forks Herald. “For them to actually reach out to me last year was a dream come true.”
Mastering Hockey and Languages in Montreal
While French is spoken widely across Quebec, Davis grew up in Montreal attending private school, mastering both English and French to succeed in the competitive local hockey ecosystem. Hockey fandom ran deep in his household, fueled by his father and grandfather’s allegiance to the Boston Bruins. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, Davis laced up his skates for the first time after watching his sibling take up the sport.
Before arriving in North Dakota, Davis built his game with inspiration from former U.S. National Team Development Program and Boston University standout Clayton Keller, whose playstyle he studied closely. On Oct. 17, 2026, Davis scored his first goal of the season past Bentley goalie Lukas Swedin in the first period at Ralph Engelstad Arena, celebrating alongside teammates Brasen Boser and E.J. Emery during a home matchup.
Life Outside the Rink in Grand Forks
Off the ice, the UND freshman maintains a routine defined by a strict 15-to-30-minute pregame nap and a burgeoning interest in culinary arts. Drawing from family traditions that feature Sunday dinners prepared by his grandparents, Davis occasionally cooks meals for his local billets and family members, leaning on his parents’ recipes for Jamaican dishes like jerk chicken, ackee, and saltfish.
When he is not hitting the books, playing house league soccer to maintain conditioning, or enjoying local stops like Harry’s in Grand Forks, Davis looks back fondly on his hometown of Vaudreuil-Dorion. He credits the area’s intensely passionate hockey culture—where local fans famously “beaking” at kids—with shaping his resilience and understanding just how much the sport matters to the community.
