Former Minnesota Duluth All-American winger Mike Connolly was traded from the San Jose Sharks organization to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday in an NHL transaction.

Connolly, 22, in his first year as a professional, had 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 points in 40 games this season with Worcester (Mass.) in the American Hockey League. He’ll join the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, in Cleveland.

Connolly, from Calgary, Alberta, was voted as UMD’s most valuable player and most inspirational player for 2010-11. He was traded along with forwards Jamie McGinn and Michael Sgarbossa from San Jose to Colorado for forwards Daniel Winnik and T.J. Galiardi.

A story link from the Denver Post is here.