Testing the boundaries of amateur eligibility, Atlanta Gladiators standout Jack O’Brien jumps from the semi-pro ranks to Arizona State, sparking fresh debate over the NCAA’s definition of professional.
A Nashville Predators farm system player is making a controversial move out of the ECHL into the NCAA.
Center Jack O’Brien, who played this past season with the Predators' ECHL affiliate, Atlanta Gladiators, announced on Tuesday that he is signing with Arizona State (NCAA).
O'Brien was not drafted by the Predators, traded by the Iowa Heartlanders to the Atlanta Gladiators in December for defensemen Anthony Firriolo and Jack Robilotti.
The NCAA, a nonprofit organization that regulates collegiate athletics and sets rules for amateur competition among member universities, brings on O'Brien, who has played nearly 100 games in a semi-professional league.
O'Brien has been in the ECHL since 2024, playing two seasons with the Iowa Heartlanders and the Gladiators. In a 97 game stretch he's logged, 35 goals and 33 assists for 68 points.
In 37 games with Atlanta, he recorded 17 goals and 12 assists for 29 points. He also had six points in six playoff games, which led the Gladiators in postseason scoring.
O'Brien's eligibility falls in a grey area of the NCAA definition of what the organization deems an athlete "professional." The NHL seems to be the only league that falls under the umbrella of "professional hockey."
This isn't the first example of a program signing semi-professional athletes. Arizona State signed forward Jack Beck in September 2025, who played 36 games with the Wheeling Nailers during the 2024-25 season and even four games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, who are Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate.
O'Brien, who is 23 years old, has two years of eligibility after playing four seasons in the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks from 2019 to 2024.