Prospect Profile: Liam O’Brien

Liam O’Brien has been within the Capitals’ system for a while, yet he continues to have a consistent role with the Hershey Bears. He is currently signed to a one year, two-way contract for the 2019-20 season. O’Brien was initially signed as a free agent in October of 2014 to a three-year entry-level contract and has had a significant impact on the organization ever since.

O’Brien was never drafted into the NHL but was invited to the Caps’ training camp in 2014. His skillset impressed the coaches, and which led to his debut with the Capitals on October 9th, 2014, against the Montreal Canadians. He captured the attention of the fans during his first game with a fight against Brandon Prust, which led to everyone noticing his aggressiveness. He easily became a fan favorite in DC. O’Brien has played in a total of 17 games with the Capitals. He tallied two points with a goal and an assist throughout the 13 games he appeared in his first season and got a total of 28 penalty minutes. However, the forward is often assigned to the Bears, where he has found his place over the last six seasons.

Prior to joining the Caps’ organization, O’Brien played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He initially played for the Rimouski Oceanic but was traded to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies the following season. He worked his way up to captain of the Huskies in his final season with the team before being invited to Caps’ training camp. His last season in the QMJHL consisted of 68 regular-season games with 20 goals, 15 assists and 148 penalty minutes along with an additional nine games during the postseason.

Over the years, O’Brien worked to become a key player and influential veteran for the Bears. Before the 2019-2020 season, he has played in a total of 311 games while recording 108 points and another 44 playoff games where he scored 13 points. Last season he was named an alternate captain for the Bears; he tallied 15 goals and 13 assists with 118 penalty minutes in his record high of 74 regular season games along with one goal in the eight playoff games he appeared in.

O’Brien is currently playing his sixth season with the Bears, and his performance is crucial for the team’s success. He has appeared in 59 games this season, where he collected 29 points by scoring ten goals and 19 assists. He is ranked second on the team after Kale Kessey with 83 penalty minutes. Throughout his hockey career, O’Brien often has difficulty with plus/minus as he finds himself deep in the negatives. However, as of right now, he has a season-high of 14, which is a drastic change from his minus 12 from last season. The winger has developed a way of playing that allows him to be a forceful piece on the ice that allows for the development of offense. Even though he does not put up as many points as others, he exerts competitiveness and energy for the Bears’ offense, which influences the rest of the players to produce. He also applies pressure, which has been useful when defending. He is not commonly a top-six forward but provides depth, which can also be potentially used by the Caps in the future or for an immediate offensive call-up.

In addition to his productivity, O’Brien has a substantial influence on the younger players with the Bears that are similarly working towards joining the NHL. Many players on the team are playing in a professional league for the first time or transitioning from another country. O’Brien’s experience in the AHL assists the other Caps’ prospects into adapting into the new league, and this allows them to develop their playing style in an effective manner that is beneficial to the AHL. He is not only having an impact on the Caps with his sole success, but he is also transforming other players within the Caps’ organization so that they adjust and fit into the system.