The Hockey News sat down with Growlers record-holder Zach O'Brien on his Slovakia experience and return to The Rock
The franchise leader of the Newfoundland Growlers in games played, goals, assists and points has come home.
Zach O'Brien, 31, was in vintage form during his 23-24 ECHL debut on Sunday, putting up a goal and six shots while occupying a line opposite the potent duo of Grant Cruikshank and Jackson Berezowski during a loss on home ice to the Worcester Railers.
While the club now drops to 5-5-2, energy and expectations are high thanks to the injection of the 2019 Kelly Cup MVP to a roster of veterans and promising newcomers.
O'Brien, who put up 12 points in 16 games in Slovakia's Bratislava Slovan this season, couldn't say a bad thing about his time overseas, conceding that "the city was great, the boys were great. it just didn't work out," adding that "at the end of the day I want to be happy, and this is where I'm happiest."
Braving jet lag and off-ice downtime, O'Brien admits that his legs might have got the best of him on his ECHL return, which was in doubt given the veteran's six-hour drive turned into a nine-and-a-half-hour flight from Vienna to Toronto, coupled with a six-hour layover and past-midnight arrival in Newfoundland.
Intent to play and quickly rushed into the new system implemented by NHL veteran turned coach Matt Cooke, O'Brien seemingly hasn't missed a step, quickly adapting to the ECHL style of play he has dominated for the better part of a decade.
"I wish my legs felt better," he joked during a post-game scrum. "I just tried to play a smart game and make it easy for my linemates and make smart plays. Keep it simple, really."
O'Brien, himself a +10 during his four years with the Growlers - and a notoriously low penalty taker - commented on the Growlers conceding game-winning goals on the back of untimely penalties in two of the three losses to Worcester on the homestand.
The Growlers currently sit second in the ECHL with an unsightly 207 penalty minutes in 12 games (a whopping three hours and 27 minutes, good enough for third in the ECHL behind Norfolk and Allen).
"I don't expect people to take not as many penalties as me. I think I hold the record all time (for low penalty minutes)," he jokes, adding that he plays his game, and does not fault teammates for taking penalties when playing a harder-edged style.
"I just try to play smart. I'm also not there running around running at guys. I try to have a smart stick. Of course, if you take a penalty it hurts the team, but there are also good penalties.
"I don't expect guys not to take penalties. If you're playing hard, you're going to take penalties, but there's a difference between taking penalties in front of our net and taking penalties in front of their net."
O'Brien is the latest cog in a core-leadership group for the Growlers comprised of newly appointed captain Todd Skirving and recently returned, day-one-dog James Melindy.
"Obviously Meller has been an amazing captain for four years, but Todd has been right there with him this whole time. I'm sure he's going to run with it and be an amazing leader as he always has been. It's definitely well deserved," he shared of his friend and teammate.
"He has all the leadership qualities. Every day he's a professional, on the ice, off the ice. If anyone needs anything the first person you go to is Todd. In the community, everyone knows what Todd does. When I saw that was announced I was so happy for him."
The Growlers hit the road for a month-long road trip, facing the Reading Royals this weekend before meetings with Utah and Idaho.