Liam O'Brien (ice hockey)

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). O'Brien is mostly known as an enforcer.

This article is about the Canadian ice hockey player. For other uses, see Liam O'Brien (disambiguation).
Liam O'Brien
Liam O'Brien playing with the Coyotes in 2022 (Quintin Soloviev).jpg
O'Brien with the Arizona Coyotes in 2022
Born (1994-07-29) July 29, 1994
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

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.

On 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 signed 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
2009–10Notre Dame HoundsSMHL41132538981343730
2010–11Rimouski OceanicQMJHL6128104550006
2011–12Rimouski OceanicQMJHL40791667—————
2011–12Rouyn-Noranda HuskiesQMJHL27371069410111
2012–13Rouyn-Noranda HuskiesQMJHL651014241641221317
2013–14Rouyn-Noranda HuskiesQMJHL68201535148913412
2014–15Washington CapitalsNHL1311223—————
2014–15Hershey BearsAHL454481211033614
2015–16Hershey BearsAHL5979161202042665
2016–17Hershey BearsAHL64102030117600013
2016–17Washington CapitalsNHL10000—————
2017–18Hershey BearsAHL691792679—————
2017–18Washington CapitalsNHL30005—————
2018–19Hershey BearsAHL74151328118810121
2019–20Hershey BearsAHL5910192983—————
2020–21Colorado EaglesAHL1244815—————
2020–21Colorado AvalancheNHL1203340—————
2021–22Arizona CoyotesNHL39213106—————
2022–23Arizona CoyotesNHL563811114—————
NHL totals 124 6 13 19 288 — — — — —

International
Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
2011 Canada Atlantic U17 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.
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