Connell began playing hockey while stationed in Kingston, Ontario, during World War I. He became a goalie because he couldn't skate.

But he was a quick study, going from Kingston of the Ontario Hockey Association in 1917 to making his NHL debut at age 22 with the Ottawa Senators on Nov. 29, 1924. He went 17-12 and one tie in 30 games as a rookie in 1924-25, leading the NHL with seven shutouts.

In 1925-26 he led the NHL with 24 wins, a League-best 1.12 goals-against average and 15 shutouts in 36 games. Connell also had 15 shutouts in 1927-28, tied for the second-most in a season after George Hainsworth's 22 in 1928-29. Of the four goalies in NHL history who've had at least 15 shutouts in a season, Connell is the only one to do it twice.

Connell led the NHL with 30 wins in 1926-27, and in the 1927 Stanley Cup Playoffs he allowed four goals in six games, had two shutouts and helped the Senators win the first Cup Final contested between two NHL teams; Ottawa defeated the Boston Bruins 2-0 with two ties in a best-of-5 series.

In 1927-28 Connell set an NHL record with six straight shutouts. His shutout streak of 460 minutes, 49 seconds from Jan. 28-Feb. 22, 1928, remains a League mark.

Connell played for the Detroit Falcons (now the Red Wings) in 1931-32, returned to the Senators in 1932-33 and retired. He got into one game with the New York Americans in 1933-34 as a substitute when starter Roy Worters was injured, then returned for two seasons with the Montreal Maroons. In 1934-35, at age 32, he led the NHL with nine shutouts, and helped the Maroons win the Stanley Cup, allowing four goals in three games against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Cup Final.

He sat out the 1935-36 season but came back again in 1936-37 to play 27 games for the Maroons, finishing with had 10 wins and a 2.21 GAA that was fifth in the League.

Connell then retired for good, finishing his NHL career with 193 wins, a 1.92 GAA (still the lowest in NHL history for goalies who've played at least 100 games) and 81 shutouts in 418 games. He died May 10, 1958, two weeks after being elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.