Liam O'Brien (ice hockey)

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This article is about the Canadian ice hockey player. For other uses, see Liam O'Brien (disambiguation).
Liam O'Brien
Liam O'Brien2.jpg
O'Brien with the Hershey Bears in 2015
Born (1994-07-29) July 29, 1994 (age 27)
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Arizona Coyotes
Washington Capitals
Colorado Avalanche
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2014–present

Liam O'Brien (born July 29, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward. He is currently playing with the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career[]

O'Brien was drafted in the first round, 10th overall, by the Rimouski Oceanic in QMJHL 2010 Draft. He scored his first QMJHL goal in his second game against the Lewiston Maineiacs.[1] He played for the Oceanic until 2011 when he was traded to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies for draft picks.[2]

Passed over in the NHL Entry Draft, O'Brien received a training camp invite from the Washington Capitals in 2014, and made the team, earning himself a three-year entry level contract on October 6, 2014.[3][4] He made his NHL debut on October 9, 2014 in a game against the Montreal Canadiens, in which he registered his first NHL fight against the Canadiens' Brandon Prust.[5]

On June 10, 2019, O'Brien agreed to return for his sixth season within the Capitals organization, agreeing to a one-year, two-way contract extension.[6] O'Brien was waived by the Washington Capitals on September 30, 2019 and loaned to the Hershey Bears the following day.

At the completion of his sixth-year with the Bears, O'Brien left the Capitals organization as a free agent. With the COVID-19 pandemic delaying the following North American season, O'Brien was belatedly signed to an AHL contract with the Colorado Eagles, primary affiliate to the Colorado Avalanche, on November 27, 2020.[7] In the 2020-21 season, O'Brien immediately contributed with the Eagles, adding 8 points through 12 games, before signing a one-year NHL contract with the Avalanche for the remainder of the campaign on March 30, 2021.[8] He made his debut for the Avalanche, appearing in his first NHL contest in over three years, in a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on April 2, 2021.[9] He recorded his first multi-point game with a career high 2 assists in a 4-3 victory over the Blues on April 14, 2021.[10] Adding physicality in a fourth-line role for Colorado, O'Brien finished with 3 assists and 40 penalty minutes through 12 regular season games.

As a free agent, O'Brien was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Arizona Coyotes on July 28, 2021.[11]

International play[]

As a 16 year old, O'Brien was selected to compete at the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge.[12]

Career statistics[]

Regular season and playoffs[]

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2009–10 Notre Dame Hounds SMHL 41 13 25 38 98 13 4 3 7 30
2010–11 Rimouski Oceanic QMJHL 61 2 8 10 45 5 0 0 0 6
2011–12 Rimouski Oceanic QMJHL 40 7 9 16 67 — — — — —
2011–12 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies QMJHL 27 3 7 10 69 4 1 0 1 11
2012–13 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies QMJHL 65 10 14 24 164 12 2 1 3 17
2013–14 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies QMJHL 68 20 15 35 148 9 1 3 4 12
2014–15 Washington Capitals NHL 13 1 1 2 23 — — — — —
2014–15 Hershey Bears AHL 45 4 4 8 121 10 3 3 6 14
2015–16 Hershey Bears AHL 59 7 9 16 120 20 4 2 6 65
2016–17 Hershey Bears AHL 64 10 20 30 117 6 0 0 0 13
2016–17 Washington Capitals NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2017–18 Hershey Bears AHL 69 17 9 26 79 — — — — —
2017–18 Washington Capitals NHL 3 0 0 0 5 — — — — —
2018–19 Hershey Bears AHL 74 15 13 28 118 8 1 0 1 21
2019–20 Hershey Bears AHL 59 10 19 29 83 — — — — —
2020–21 Colorado Eagles AHL 12 4 4 8 15 — — — — —
2020–21 Colorado Avalanche NHL 12 0 3 3 40 — — — — —
NHL totals 29 1 4 5 68 — — — — —

International[]

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
2011 Canada Atlantic WHC17 5th 5 1 1 2 8
Junior totals 5 1 1 2 8

References[]

  1. ^ O'Brien, Liam (September 26, 2014). "Liam O'Brien's journal: The CHL is a business". sportsnet.ca. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  2. ^ "Liam O'brien échangé à Rouyn-Noranda". oceanic.qc.ca (in French). December 30, 2011. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  3. ^ "Capitals sign Liam O'Brien to three-year entry-level deal". Washington Post. 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2014-10-06.
  4. ^ "Capitals rookies O'brien and Burakovsky to make NHL debuts". Washington Post. 2014-10-09. Retrieved 2014-10-09.
  5. ^ "Trotz pleased with Capitals feistiness vs Canadiens". Washington Post. 2014-10-10. Retrieved 2014-10-10.
  6. ^ "Capitals re-sign O'Brien". Washington Capitals. June 10, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  7. ^ "Eagles add toughness, scoring with O'Brien". Colorado Eagles. November 27, 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  8. ^ "Avalanche signs Middleton and O'Brien". Colorado Avalanche. March 31, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  9. ^ "Avalanche clinch playoff berth in win over Blues". ESPN. April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  10. ^ "Avalanche use 3 goals in second period to down Blues". ESPN. April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  11. ^ "Coyotes sign Liam O'Brien to one-year contract". Arizona Coyotes. July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  12. ^ "Le seul 16 ans de l'Océanic, choisit pour une importante compétition !!!". oceanic.qc.ca (in French). November 23, 2010. Retrieved January 8, 2019.

External links[]

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