Prospect Info: Round 1, Pick #19: Jay O'Brien, C, MA-USHS --> Providence U

TheKingPin

Registered User
Nov 16, 2005
20,494
9,948
Philadelphia, PA
The numbers are down for almost all TV sports.
I don’t think there is any question this team is now run like a company and that company needs to make money. Hextall was right to sit back and accumulate picks. They did great hitting on a ton of picks. They need to keep their picks and keep drafting well to keep things going into the next decade, but they need to start showing results to the people that matter this year. Part of why people gate working for corporations, but it’s results based. The goal pretty clearly this year is to win a series. That gets a lot easier winning the division or at least not being a wildcard. I think they aim to finish top 4 in the east and win a series, maybe 2 if you can dodge a powerhouse. All decisions will be off of that. If they think they can do it without frost, he’s not going to make it.
 

deadhead

Registered User
Feb 26, 2014
49,215
21,617
I don’t think there is any question this team is now run like a company and that company needs to make money. Hextall was right to sit back and accumulate picks. They did great hitting on a ton of picks. They need to keep their picks and keep drafting well to keep things going into the next decade, but they need to start showing results to the people that matter this year. Part of why people gate working for corporations, but it’s results based. The goal pretty clearly this year is to win a series. That gets a lot easier winning the division or at least not being a wildcard. I think they aim to finish top 4 in the east and win a series, maybe 2 if you can dodge a powerhouse. All decisions will be off of that. If they think they can do it without frost, he’s not going to make it.

Don't think it has much to do with Comcast.
This is the 5th year of a successful rebuild, Hextall tried for Stastny, settled for JVR but still add a top six starter.
TK, Sanheim, Patrick and Lindblom are at the point where they can take major steps up.

It's just normal for expectations to be higher, Ron is no longer in asset accumulation mode where he accepts a lack of depth as the price to be paid to stockpile draft picks and prospects.

They're still a year to two years from being a serious contender, but they're improving, in a similar spot to Toronto last year, who garnered 105 points but still lost in the 1st rd.
 
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pit

5th Most Improved Poster
Jun 25, 2005
4,987
20,292
Toronto
Based purely on how his name sounds, I'm picturing an Adrian Aucoin type career for O'Brien. He's got that "journeyman second line center" feel to his name, which is clearly the best metric to judge him by.

Adrian Aucoin was a defenseman. Or am I missing a joke?
 

Striiker

Former Flyers Fan
Jun 2, 2013
89,438
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Pennsylvania
Guys? How are you feeling about O’Brien?
I feel like it'd be nice if he was actually allowed to play at all in the WJC...

He missed a bunch of time with an injury this year so it would've been nice to see him here and hopefully use it as a boost for the rest of this college season. But obviously that's not happening.
 

Stizzle

Registered User
Feb 3, 2012
13,209
23,192
Guys? How are you feeling about O’Brien?

I've been putting some thoughts on paper for upcoming mid-season prospect ranking's. Since someone asked, I'll just post what I already wrote on JOB...
After initially watching all of his available footage, JOB seemed like a more dynamic prospect than Farabee to me.

Unfortunately, 6 months later we don't have much more to go on because of injuries and his near non-existent role at the WJC.

I moved him down slightly just because Farabee seems like such a sure bet and Zamula's big rise. My viewings of him this season have been almost exclusively positive.

JOB is always looking to either create offense or hunt the puck. I said in the WJC thread, during the Sweden game, that when he has the puck it feels like something good is about to happen. He doesn't want to settle, which I appreciate. O'Brien remains a bit of an enigma, but he certainly looks like a real player to me.
 

Rebels57

Former Flyers fan
Sponsor
Sep 28, 2014
76,365
122,636
Guys? How are you feeling about O’Brien?

Excited for the 2nd half of his collegiate season. He has earned more ice time at WJC but Hastings wont give it to him. Hopefully his injury-riddled 1st half is behind him and playing with the best of the best in his age group sets him up for a big 2nd half.
 
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Dumpster Flyers

Registered User
Jun 21, 2006
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I’d like to know too. I haven’t gotten a chance to really watch him. I haven’t seen every USA WJC game, but the ones i have I don’t think I heard his name once. His stats don’t look good, but I know he’s had some injury issues.
He was pretty bad with limited ice time. Always out of position and chasing the play. I wish he was playing in the CHL, because he needs to play a lot of games against competition above New England high school and grow accustomed to fast paced hockey.
 

Johnny Hoxville

The Return of a Legend
Jul 15, 2006
37,549
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Calgary
Cheers, thanks guys! I was looking for any info on him, but obviously due to the limited games played, it’s hard to really gauge his progression. Going into this past draft, I had him and Jake Wise flagged as draft steals. I think O’Brien could be a good player.
 

Rebels57

Former Flyers fan
Sponsor
Sep 28, 2014
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Cheers, thanks guys! I was looking for any info on him, but obviously due to the limited games played, it’s hard to really gauge his progression. Going into this past draft, I had him and Jake Wise flagged as draft steals. I think O’Brien could be a good player.

He has every tool necessary to be a good middle 6 NHLer. Hopefully he can avoid taking big hits going forward, because he has struggled with that in his early NCAA career.
 
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