Liam O'Brien has signed a three-year, $3 million contract extension with the Utah Hockey Club. The Halifax native amassed a career high five goals and 14 points in 75 games this season while continuing to be a important physical presence for the Arizona Coyotes.
Before his journey in the NHL, O'Brien played four seasons in the QMJHL. He was drafted 10th overall by the Rimouski Oceanic, where he first got his start in the 2010-11 season. In the middle of the following campaign, he was traded to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, the second and final team he played for in the QMJHL.
In his final QMJHL season, O'Brien put up 20 goals and 35 points in 68 games as the Huskies' captain. But it's not the point totals that made O'Brien stand out. In 261 career QMJHL games, he put up 493 penalty minutes. This is a testament to the physicality and energy he carried over to the big leagues.
Since arriving in the NHL, the 29-year-old has 441 penalty minutes in 199 games. His team leading 229 hits this past season also tied him for 14th-most among forwards in the entire league.
O'Brien was never drafted into the NHL. He also never got traded despite playing for three different franchises. He signed his first contract with the Washington Capitals in the middle of his final season in the QMJHL and even played a few games the following one.
O'Brien bounced around between the AHL and NHL up until the 2021-22 season, when he found his home with the Coyotes. He will look to build on his performance from last season in Utah's inaugural season.