Arizona Coyotes forward Liam O’Brien is a throwback hockey player who will drop the gloves at the drop of the hat. With fighting slowly returning, his role could be bigger than last season. O’Brien does have skills other than fighting, as shown over his hockey career.
Coyotes’ O’Brien Provides Protection for Younger Talent
O’Brien was not always a tough guy. When he started playing junior hockey, he was an offensive force that could fight when needed. The 6-foot-1 and 213-pound center was drafted in the first round, and selected 10th overall, by the Rimouski Oceanic in the 2010 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Draft. He scored his first QMJHL goal in his second game against the Lewiston Maineiacs.
Although drafted by Rimouski, he did not realize his full potential until he was traded to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies for draft picks. After that trade, he combined offensive flair with toughness to be a complete player in the QMJHL.
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After five successful seasons in the QMJHL, he was unfortunately passed up in the NHL Draft. He received a training camp invite from the Washington Capitals in 2014, then signed as a free agent with Washington on Oct. 6, 2014, and made his NHL debut three days later against the Montreal Canadians. In that same game, he had his first NHL fight against Brandon Prust of the Canadians.
This was the beginning of his NHL career. After stints in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Hershey Bears and Colorado Eagles, he finally found a home in Arizona with the Coyotes. On July 28, 2021, he signed as a free agent with Arizona and has made an impact since Day 1. Not only has he stuck up for his younger teammates, but he has become a force along the boards, in front of the net, and has made his presence known by simply being on the ice.
Over his seven-year career, he has played a combined 127 games. During that period, he has scored six goals and added 13 assists for 19 points, 40 blocked shots, 414 hits, has spent 288 minutes in the penalty box, and is a plus-1. He set career highs in every category last season, scoring three goals and adding eight assists for 11 points and 114 penalty minutes in 56 games. His 114 penalty minutes put him sixth in the league in that category.
His play is similar to former Coyotes forward Daniel Carcillo and current teammate Lawson Crouse. His skills are beyond putting the puck into the net as he brings something the Coyotes lack, toughness. He can provide space for his more skilled teammates by playing the physical role.
While his focus is protecting the team, he can produce offensively, as rare as it may seem. He contributed 35 points with Rouyn-Noranda of the QMJHL in 2013 and 30 points with the Hershey Bears of the AHL in 2016-17.
O’Brien is primarily a depth forward, but his role is as important as that of superstar teammate Clayton Keller. His size, strength, and physical tools continue to be useful as the Coyotes continue to get younger and more talented. Every team needs a player like O’Brien, an intimidating force on the ice willing to do anything to win, especially since fighting has gone up since last season at the same time, with 20 fights this season compared to 10 last season at the same time.
Coyotes, O’Brien New Contract?
O’Brien is in the last year of his two-year, $1.55 million contract. The Coyotes organization would be wise to re-sign him as he brings a lot to the table and, at 29 years old, still has plenty of game left to play. Arizona does not have a player with his tools in the organization, and he has earned a contract extension based on his play over the last couple of seasons. The Coyotes have a projected cap space of $5.661 million, and O’Brien will not be a difficult contract to figure out.
He is a rare breed that can contribute offensively and be willing to drop the gloves at any time. He plays well in the corners and plays a game that other players might shy away from. O’Brien is a valuable piece to the Coyotes organization and should stick around to see this team rise to playoff contention. Being a valuable asset to the team does not mean leading the team in scoring, but instead doing what it takes to win hockey games and contribute to team success. Liam O’Brien is a warrior and vital to the future of the Arizona franchise.