Prospect Info: Round 1, Pick #19: Jay O'Brien, C, MA-USHS --> Providence U
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LastWordArmy
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MiamiScreamingEagles
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Jay O’Brien
Prospect Of Interest: The 411 on Jay O'Brien - Sportsnet.ca
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DRAFT PROFILE: JAY O'BRIEN
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=93427
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H.S. BOYS HOCKEY: Thayer's O'Brien glad he's stuck around
Source: Patriot Ledger (Massachusetts)
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Flyers roll the dice on Jay O'Brien with No. 19 pick in NHL Draft
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Team: Thayer Academy (US High School)
Position: C
Shoots: Right
Born: November 4, 1999
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 176 pounds
Jay O'Brien, C: O'Brien was considered a bubble first-rounder but he goes inside the top 20 to the Flyers, who clearly saw something they liked. The American playmaker has a pretty offensive skill set down the middle, and he'll hope to develop further at Providence College.
Pete Blackburn, CBS Sports
It can be difficult to measure a player likeagainst some of the other top-level prospects in the NHL Draft because rather than playing all season against competition in leagues such as the USHL, CHL, or a top European league, O’Brien dominated competition at the US High School level.
Now, plenty of players have been chosen out of high school in the past. Jeremy Roenick was the eighth overall pick in the 1988 draft out of the same Thayer Academy O’Brien plays for. Current Calgary Flames centre Mark Jankowski was drafted out of Canadian high school with the idea it would take him time to develop at Providence College — the same team O’Brien will be joining in 2018-19. So while he didn’t face the same level of play some others did all season, he’s taken a path others have in the past and is on track as a worthwhile prospect to take a shot on.
Position: C
Shoots: Right
Born: November 4, 1999
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 176 pounds
Jay O'Brien, C: O'Brien was considered a bubble first-rounder but he goes inside the top 20 to the Flyers, who clearly saw something they liked. The American playmaker has a pretty offensive skill set down the middle, and he'll hope to develop further at Providence College.
Pete Blackburn, CBS Sports
It can be difficult to measure a player likeagainst some of the other top-level prospects in the NHL Draft because rather than playing all season against competition in leagues such as the USHL, CHL, or a top European league, O’Brien dominated competition at the US High School level.
Now, plenty of players have been chosen out of high school in the past. Jeremy Roenick was the eighth overall pick in the 1988 draft out of the same Thayer Academy O’Brien plays for. Current Calgary Flames centre Mark Jankowski was drafted out of Canadian high school with the idea it would take him time to develop at Providence College — the same team O’Brien will be joining in 2018-19. So while he didn’t face the same level of play some others did all season, he’s taken a path others have in the past and is on track as a worthwhile prospect to take a shot on.
Prospect Of Interest: The 411 on Jay O'Brien - Sportsnet.ca
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DRAFT PROFILE: JAY O'BRIEN
In every draft year, there are "sleeper" candidates for latter first-round or early second round selections. One such player in the 2018 Draft crop is Thayer Academy standout center Jay O'Brien. He is virtually a lock to go within the first two rounds of this year's Draft. The question is the range in which he'll land.
Talent-wise, there is no doubt that O'Brien has first-round caliber talent between his stickhandling, feet and ice vision. He tore apart a much lower caliber of competition he faced at Thayer, to the tune of 80 points (43 goals, 37 assists) in 30 games. His Thayer coach, longtime NHL star Tony Amonte (himself a Thayer product), has said that O'Brien has NHL star level skills and hockey IQ.
According to scouting reports, O'Brien boasts a well above-average wrist shot, makes tape-to-tape passes, accelerates fast and plays a hard-working game on top of a highly skilled one. His dominant performance at the USHL Fall Classic put him on the radar for this year's Draft, and Thayer became a regular destination for NHL amateur scouts as it was in the days when Jeremy Roenick and Amonte were the school's big stars.
O'Brien's Draft projections are all over the map, ranging from the 20s to the area in which his hometown Boston Bruins might be in range to select him with the 57th overall pick (their first in this year's draft). For what it's worth, I think O'Brien will be off the board well ahead of Boston's pick. They'd most likely have to trade up if they are targeting their latest local product. Ditto the Flyers, whose second round pick falls 50th overall.
The consensus on O'Brien is that his upside is that of a top-six NHL forward (middle six at worst) if he approaches his ceiling. Such players are usually first-round picks. If that is the case,why O'Brien's draft range so uncertain?
First and foremost, it's due to lack of exposure to high-grade competition. As a late birthday player (born Nov. 4, 1999), he was too young for the 2017 NHL Draft but too old to play in the Under-18 World Championships. He spent some time with the USNTDP squad, and held his own, as well as playing four USHL games with the Youngstown Phantoms. He is committed to Providence College, starting in the 2018-19 season.
O'Brien is not big, standing just a listed 5-foot-10 but is deceptively strong (185 pounds) with a low center of gravity. He does not have much of a physical game but battles for pucks. Even so, when high school players get taken in the first round of the NHL Draft (such as 2017 eighth overall pick Casey Mittelstadt, who turned pro after one collegiate season and posted five points in his first six NHL games with Buffalo), they are usually bigger, physically mature players.
Mittelstadt, himself a late birthday (1998) player, also had the benefit of playing in the Under-18 World Championships a year ahead of his NHL Draft eligibility, where he posted nine points in seven games. In O'Brien's case, the combination of having yet to play in any international tournaments and playing less-than-suitable opposition is enough to knock him below the range where a fellow smallish player such as USNTDP regular Joel Farabee is likely to be selected.
Nevertheless, it is possible that some NHL team could be high enough on O'Brien -- who will need a few seasons before he is likely to be NHL ready -- to step up and draft him in the lower half of the first round or early in the second. He reportedly tested and interviewed well at the NHL Scouting Combine, which could help bump him up a few spots in some teams' final pre-Draft rankings.
Talent-wise, there is no doubt that O'Brien has first-round caliber talent between his stickhandling, feet and ice vision. He tore apart a much lower caliber of competition he faced at Thayer, to the tune of 80 points (43 goals, 37 assists) in 30 games. His Thayer coach, longtime NHL star Tony Amonte (himself a Thayer product), has said that O'Brien has NHL star level skills and hockey IQ.
According to scouting reports, O'Brien boasts a well above-average wrist shot, makes tape-to-tape passes, accelerates fast and plays a hard-working game on top of a highly skilled one. His dominant performance at the USHL Fall Classic put him on the radar for this year's Draft, and Thayer became a regular destination for NHL amateur scouts as it was in the days when Jeremy Roenick and Amonte were the school's big stars.
O'Brien's Draft projections are all over the map, ranging from the 20s to the area in which his hometown Boston Bruins might be in range to select him with the 57th overall pick (their first in this year's draft). For what it's worth, I think O'Brien will be off the board well ahead of Boston's pick. They'd most likely have to trade up if they are targeting their latest local product. Ditto the Flyers, whose second round pick falls 50th overall.
The consensus on O'Brien is that his upside is that of a top-six NHL forward (middle six at worst) if he approaches his ceiling. Such players are usually first-round picks. If that is the case,why O'Brien's draft range so uncertain?
First and foremost, it's due to lack of exposure to high-grade competition. As a late birthday player (born Nov. 4, 1999), he was too young for the 2017 NHL Draft but too old to play in the Under-18 World Championships. He spent some time with the USNTDP squad, and held his own, as well as playing four USHL games with the Youngstown Phantoms. He is committed to Providence College, starting in the 2018-19 season.
O'Brien is not big, standing just a listed 5-foot-10 but is deceptively strong (185 pounds) with a low center of gravity. He does not have much of a physical game but battles for pucks. Even so, when high school players get taken in the first round of the NHL Draft (such as 2017 eighth overall pick Casey Mittelstadt, who turned pro after one collegiate season and posted five points in his first six NHL games with Buffalo), they are usually bigger, physically mature players.
Mittelstadt, himself a late birthday (1998) player, also had the benefit of playing in the Under-18 World Championships a year ahead of his NHL Draft eligibility, where he posted nine points in seven games. In O'Brien's case, the combination of having yet to play in any international tournaments and playing less-than-suitable opposition is enough to knock him below the range where a fellow smallish player such as USNTDP regular Joel Farabee is likely to be selected.
Nevertheless, it is possible that some NHL team could be high enough on O'Brien -- who will need a few seasons before he is likely to be NHL ready -- to step up and draft him in the lower half of the first round or early in the second. He reportedly tested and interviewed well at the NHL Scouting Combine, which could help bump him up a few spots in some teams' final pre-Draft rankings.
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=93427
---------------------------------------------
Jay O’Brien of Hingham could have left home to prepare for his college career and the 2018 NHL Draft, but he’s sure that playing a final season at Thayer Academy will have him ready.
CANTON – Jay O’Brien used every resource he could find, researched thoroughly, studied the topic from multiple angles.
After all that homework, O’Brien decided that home was the best place to continue his work.
O’Brien, a senior center from Hingham, doesn’t have his entire future mapped out, but he has covered many of the hard parts. He turned down an opportunity to spend this hockey season at the junior level, chose a college program and arrival date (Providence College, 2018-19), and can now focus on helping Thayer Academy try to overcome a slow start to 2017-18.
“Now, it’s just about what happens here at school,” said O’Brien, who has also played for the Cape Cod Whalers Under-18 team, participated in the All-American Prospects Game in Buffalo on Sept. 27, and represented USA Hockey’s National Development Program Under-18 team in a handful of games against NCAA competition this season.
“I can just focus on this one season here, kind of have a clear head and a fresh start. It’s nice, being able to focus.”
There is one distraction. O’Brien is eligible for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, and began the season on NHL Central Scouting’s Players to Watch list as a potential second- to third-round choice. He has met with scouts from several teams, but doesn’t see those sit-downs as much more than discussions about the game he loves.
“Some have some different questions, but they’re all knowledgeable hockey guys, so it’s pretty easy to have a conversation with them, and just talk hockey,” O’Brien said.
Many people – O’Brien included – questioned whether a second season at Thayer (he spent his first two prep years at Dexter Academy) was his best development path. After piling up 24 goals and 65 points in 30 games with the Tigers as a junior, he jumped into four games with the Youngstown (Ohio) Phantoms of the United States Hockey League, which plays a 60-game schedule. Some thought O’Brien would be best served returning for a full USHL season to prepare for college, and potentially raise his draft profile.
O’Brien gave it serious thought.
“I kind of laid out the pros and cons,” he said.
“I went out to Youngstown after last season, and it was great. I played a lot, got to know some of the guys and the coaching staff. But sometimes you see kids leave, and they get forgotten about, too. They get into the wrong situation, things like that.”
O’Brien sought advice from friends like Bruins prospect Ryan Donato of Scituate, who skipped the junior-level experience to spend a final season at Dexter before enrolling at Harvard, and life-long friend Luke McInnis of Hingham, who left Dexter for Youngstown, and now plays at Boston College. And he talked to many Thayer teammates.
“I’ve known all these guys for so many years. They’re my best friends, my teammates,” he said. “It was nice to have an open dialogue, see what they thought. They were all supportive of whatever I decided, which was nice.”
Nicer, still, is having what he considers concrete proof that he has made the right choice. The games O’Brien has been able to play for USA Hockey’s Under-18s (only when they don’t conflict with Thayer’s schedule) have exposed him to bigger, stronger college players, and his games with the Tigers – well, they’re no picnic.
CANTON – Jay O’Brien used every resource he could find, researched thoroughly, studied the topic from multiple angles.
After all that homework, O’Brien decided that home was the best place to continue his work.
O’Brien, a senior center from Hingham, doesn’t have his entire future mapped out, but he has covered many of the hard parts. He turned down an opportunity to spend this hockey season at the junior level, chose a college program and arrival date (Providence College, 2018-19), and can now focus on helping Thayer Academy try to overcome a slow start to 2017-18.
“Now, it’s just about what happens here at school,” said O’Brien, who has also played for the Cape Cod Whalers Under-18 team, participated in the All-American Prospects Game in Buffalo on Sept. 27, and represented USA Hockey’s National Development Program Under-18 team in a handful of games against NCAA competition this season.
“I can just focus on this one season here, kind of have a clear head and a fresh start. It’s nice, being able to focus.”
There is one distraction. O’Brien is eligible for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, and began the season on NHL Central Scouting’s Players to Watch list as a potential second- to third-round choice. He has met with scouts from several teams, but doesn’t see those sit-downs as much more than discussions about the game he loves.
“Some have some different questions, but they’re all knowledgeable hockey guys, so it’s pretty easy to have a conversation with them, and just talk hockey,” O’Brien said.
Many people – O’Brien included – questioned whether a second season at Thayer (he spent his first two prep years at Dexter Academy) was his best development path. After piling up 24 goals and 65 points in 30 games with the Tigers as a junior, he jumped into four games with the Youngstown (Ohio) Phantoms of the United States Hockey League, which plays a 60-game schedule. Some thought O’Brien would be best served returning for a full USHL season to prepare for college, and potentially raise his draft profile.
O’Brien gave it serious thought.
“I kind of laid out the pros and cons,” he said.
“I went out to Youngstown after last season, and it was great. I played a lot, got to know some of the guys and the coaching staff. But sometimes you see kids leave, and they get forgotten about, too. They get into the wrong situation, things like that.”
O’Brien sought advice from friends like Bruins prospect Ryan Donato of Scituate, who skipped the junior-level experience to spend a final season at Dexter before enrolling at Harvard, and life-long friend Luke McInnis of Hingham, who left Dexter for Youngstown, and now plays at Boston College. And he talked to many Thayer teammates.
“I’ve known all these guys for so many years. They’re my best friends, my teammates,” he said. “It was nice to have an open dialogue, see what they thought. They were all supportive of whatever I decided, which was nice.”
Nicer, still, is having what he considers concrete proof that he has made the right choice. The games O’Brien has been able to play for USA Hockey’s Under-18s (only when they don’t conflict with Thayer’s schedule) have exposed him to bigger, stronger college players, and his games with the Tigers – well, they’re no picnic.
H.S. BOYS HOCKEY: Thayer's O'Brien glad he's stuck around
Source: Patriot Ledger (Massachusetts)
===================================
“Philly’s the place I wanted to go, Philly’s the place I wanted to play,’’ O’Brien said. “It’s such a storied franchise, I couldn’t be happier to be a Flyer. It’s such an unbelievable feeling to share with my family.’’
The Hockey News had O’Brien slotted somewhere in the second round, so even O’Brien was surprised when his name was called.
But he wasn’t surprised it was the Flyers. They had shown interest in him from a ways back.
“I think so,’’ O’Brien said. “They showed it in the interview room, they showed it today. I think this is a great stepping stone for me. Now it’s what I make of it. I going to make it a good run and play for Philly someday.’’
The Hockey News had O’Brien slotted somewhere in the second round, so even O’Brien was surprised when his name was called.
But he wasn’t surprised it was the Flyers. They had shown interest in him from a ways back.
“I think so,’’ O’Brien said. “They showed it in the interview room, they showed it today. I think this is a great stepping stone for me. Now it’s what I make of it. I going to make it a good run and play for Philly someday.’’
Flyers roll the dice on Jay O'Brien with No. 19 pick in NHL Draft
----------------------------------------
After Jay O’Brien finished his junior season at (Braintree, Mass.) Thayer Academy, he spent some time in Youngstown, Ohio, playing a few games for the Phantoms of the United States Hockey League, the top junior league in the country. He had the option to stay with the Phantoms as a senior, but the 5-foot-11, 180-pound center decided the better move was to play out his final season of high school.
The Tigers sure are glad he came back. With his strong skating and dazzling stick skills, O’Brien scored 43 goals, dished out 37 assists and terrorized opponents all season as Thayer (17-12-1) shook off a slow start to the season to reach the New England Prep School Athletic Council Large School Tournament title game. Those abilities and results on the ice are why O’Brien, 18, is the 2018 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Player of the Year.
“He can skate and he’s got a motor,” Thayer head coach Tony Amonte, a long-time NHL player and a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, told the Patriot Ledger. “It’s tough to play against him. If you take the puck away from him, he’s going to chop your leg off to get it back.”
There was more to O’Brien’s season than just playing for Thayer. In between NEPSAC games this winter, O’Brien would travel to join the USA Hockey Under-18 National Team to play exhibition games against college programs.
“I really felt like I had more time and space against the college team than I did against a prep school team,” O’Brien said in the Ledger feature. “They’re on me the whole game. I’m getting banged, getting hacked, getting chipped, all that stuff … I think it’s getting me more ready for college hockey.”
O’Brien will play his collegiate hockey about 45 minutes south of Thayer at Providence College. But before he laces up his skates for the Friars, there is the NHL Draft in late June. In its most recent January rankings, NHL Central Scouting slotted O’Brien as the No. 44 North American skater eligible for the draft. Hockeyprospect.com ranked O’Brien No. 31 in its overall draft rankings in early March. If that held, O’Brien would be a first-round pick.
“He brings everything that we look for in our players—speed, skill and compete,” PC coach Nate Leaman said. “He can play the game any way. If it’s a gritty, grinding game, he can be gritty and grind and take a puck hard to the net. If there is open ice and space to make plays, he can make just about any play that is there.”
ALL-USA Boys Hockey Player of the Year: Jay O’Brien, Thayer AcademyThe Tigers sure are glad he came back. With his strong skating and dazzling stick skills, O’Brien scored 43 goals, dished out 37 assists and terrorized opponents all season as Thayer (17-12-1) shook off a slow start to the season to reach the New England Prep School Athletic Council Large School Tournament title game. Those abilities and results on the ice are why O’Brien, 18, is the 2018 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Player of the Year.
“He can skate and he’s got a motor,” Thayer head coach Tony Amonte, a long-time NHL player and a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, told the Patriot Ledger. “It’s tough to play against him. If you take the puck away from him, he’s going to chop your leg off to get it back.”
There was more to O’Brien’s season than just playing for Thayer. In between NEPSAC games this winter, O’Brien would travel to join the USA Hockey Under-18 National Team to play exhibition games against college programs.
“I really felt like I had more time and space against the college team than I did against a prep school team,” O’Brien said in the Ledger feature. “They’re on me the whole game. I’m getting banged, getting hacked, getting chipped, all that stuff … I think it’s getting me more ready for college hockey.”
O’Brien will play his collegiate hockey about 45 minutes south of Thayer at Providence College. But before he laces up his skates for the Friars, there is the NHL Draft in late June. In its most recent January rankings, NHL Central Scouting slotted O’Brien as the No. 44 North American skater eligible for the draft. Hockeyprospect.com ranked O’Brien No. 31 in its overall draft rankings in early March. If that held, O’Brien would be a first-round pick.
“He brings everything that we look for in our players—speed, skill and compete,” PC coach Nate Leaman said. “He can play the game any way. If it’s a gritty, grinding game, he can be gritty and grind and take a puck hard to the net. If there is open ice and space to make plays, he can make just about any play that is there.”
Last edited:
Laveuglette
Le meilleur receveur de passes de tous les temps
I don't know him much, apparently it's a guy that was rising over time. I'll trust them on it. We'll see. Best wishes to him.
MiamiScreamingEagles
Global Moderator
- Jan 17, 2004
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From the article posted:
“He can skate and he’s got a motor,” said Tony Amonte, head coach of Thayer Academy. “It’s tough to play against him. If you take the puck away from him, he’s going to chop your leg off to get it back.”
tictactoe
Registered User
- Jan 15, 2017
- 18,789
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o that makes sense.
1865
Alpha Couturier
MiamiScreamingEagles
Global Moderator
- Jan 17, 2004
- 71,896
- 48,558
He went from 44 (mid-term) to 32 (final ranking) among North American skaters on NHL.com.
Just a wait and see pick I guess. Slight reach, so hopefully it works out with guys like Miller, Veleno, and Noel on the board still. His high school has a track record at least.
BobbyClarkeFan16
Registered User
Hate it. Absolutely hate it. I'm disappointed with this pick. It feels like Mark Jankowski all over again.
Laveuglette
Le meilleur receveur de passes de tous les temps
I don't mind reaching with guys rising like him. Sometimes the media doesn't go fast enough catching up for their new value, so it's actually not that much of a reach. A good recent example was PL Dubois, who was taken 3rd OV and apparently Mtl was ready to trade Subban for 4th if he wasn't taken. The media didn't see it and he didn't dissapoint.
Pantokrator
Who's the clown?
Chinatown88
1 year 3 days and counting
Laveuglette
Le meilleur receveur de passes de tous les temps
Risky pick. We can afford it with our prospect pool. If it pays off, that'll be amazing. If it doesn't, well, we still have a lot of prospects who will have an impact.
Pantokrator
Who's the clown?
I would rather have had them trade down, but Hextall knows what he wants, so I guess he knew he was on other team's radar.
Laveuglette
Le meilleur receveur de passes de tous les temps
Nothing guarantees he'd be there down. The media has a hard time catching up to the value of guys rising at the end. They probably didn't want to take the risk. They probably see a special potential in that kid.
GKJ
Global Moderator
- Feb 27, 2002
- 192,761
- 43,375
Flyers have trended to taking a rising player above where he was projected. Between Sanheim and Frost, they justified doing that pretty quickly.
Random Forest
Registered User
- May 12, 2010
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I’m pretty sure people who hate this pick would have hated if the Flyers picked Morgan Frost at 19.
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