Newark’s newest first-round draft pick, Casey O’Brien, has already made an impact on New Jersey Devils fans. O’Brien was selected third overall in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) by the New York Sirens.

The New York Sirens share the Prudential Center with the New Jersey Devils, and both professional hockey teams have helped grow the game in Newark, something O’Brien is familiar with. Growing up in New York City, she recalled traveling to New Jersey to play hockey.

“We’d drive literally right after school, and we'd wait three hours in the parking lot just so we could miss the traffic,” she told The Hockey News. “Then we’d practice, and my family would drive back.”

For O’Brien, driving to New Jersey to play was one of the only options. Today, the New Jersey Devils and the Prudential Center continue working to offer programs for young girls in hockey, so kids like O’Brien have a place to play.

https://www.nhl.com/devils/community/nj-hockey/jersey-girls-hockey-club

One of the Devils’ initiatives is the Jersey Girls Hockey Club. According to NHL.com, the program is “a cross-ice recreation league for novice-level girls ages 5–12 who have graduated from a New Jersey Devils Learn to Play program.”

The club plays eight games per season at the RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House inside the Prudential Center.

Its mission is to provide young female players with the resources to grow in the game and, ideally, become professional players themselves.

After being drafted, O’Brien visited the Jersey Girls Hockey Club to speak with some of the future PWHL players.

“It was super cool to meet them all and spend some time with them, because, you know, I kind of saw myself in them,” O’Brien said. “A lot of them had questions about what the next steps are in pursuing their passion in hockey as well.”

The program, launched following the 2024 Stadium Series, has grown over the past two years. Girls from all over New Jersey, New York, and surrounding areas have come together to play at the Prudential Center.

For O’Brien, this is something she never had.

“To see these programs, and how much support they have, and how much the community is behind them, it’s so cool for me to see. There really wasn't that much in the area when I was younger for girls’ hockey,” she said.

The New York Sirens have yet to release their 2025–26 schedule, but fans can expect to see O’Brien competing at the Prudential Center, representing girls across the region who are passionate about hockey.

Raised in New York City, O’Brien admitted she grew up a New York Rangers fan. But growing the game transcends rivalries. Her homecoming feels meaningful.

“Being able to come back and hopefully make an impact on the ice, and probably more importantly, off the ice, and help grow the youth game in New York and New Jersey, it's so special to me. It means everything.”

Photo Credit: © Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images