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Per Elliote Friedman on the 32 thoughts intermission broadcast, Flyers prospect Jay O’Brien will test free agency, thus the Flyers will receive a 2023 compensatory pick in return.
At the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, the Flyers took a chance on a kid from Hingham, Massachusetts, with their second first round selection that year. The player was Center Jay O’Brien, who was selected from the deep-rooted Thayer Academy of the United States High School Preparatory League.
It was an off the board pick by former General Manager Ron Hextall. His stats through just 30 games played that season for the Tigers were 43 goals and 37 assists for 80 points.
O’Brien didn’t sign with the Flyers for numerous reasons before his 5th NCAA season (Covid season allows those athletes to play an extra season). The first is injuries. Everytime he built up steam in terms of racking up points throughout his career, unfortunately he more often than not sustained an injury. Being a Massachusetts native, he decided on Providence College, seeing that they offered him a full-ride scholarship at a very early age. Shortly after that, O’Brien found himself riddled with injuries, thus seemed out of place with the Friars. O’Brien decided to transfer to another school, but the only problem with that was that he was then made to sit out an entire season due to the NCAA’s transfer protocol and would need to find a place to play for that season. He wound up playing for the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). While playing for the Vees during the 2019-2020 season, O’Brien posted 25 goals and 41 assists for 66 points in 46 games. It was great to see him resurrect his career somewhat.
After that revitalizing season with the Vees, O’Brien was confident in his abilities again, and he decided to play for the Boston University Terriers. Unfortunately, his 2020-21 season was filled with numerous Covid issues. COVID was running rampant throughout not only the locker rooms, but also the campus of BU. It actually halted the Terriers season for some time. At that time the season was halted, O’Brien led the team with eight goals and eight assists for 16 points in just 16 games played during the games they were allowed to play.
The Flyers wanted to see consistency from O’Brien, this he was not signed to an Entry-Level-Contract that offseason. Instead, O’Brien was forced to go back to BU, where while playing in just 24 games due to some nagging injury issues, he still managed to post 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points in the 2021-22 season.
O’Brien has shown time and time again that he does indeed have the offensive skill to earn an ELC, his inability to play an entire season without injury was concerning, coupled with inconsistencies. For instance, he netted eight goals, and only 24 assists in 39 games this season.
It is of the best interest of the Flyers to not sign O’Brien, even though the Flyers are starving for Center depth in the organization. Now the Flyers have a second round pick in a draft that is top heavy with good prospects throughout the first two rounds of the upcoming 2023 NHL Draft.
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