Sounding Off With The Sirens: The depth Chart Gets Stronger As New York Continues Building Process To Contend In Eastern Conference

Casey O'Brien's defining moment in her rookie season with the New York Sirens actually took place some 1,500 miles from the team's home rink in Newark, New Jersey.

When the final horn sounded at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas last Dec. 28, the former University of Wisconsin star had achieved not one but two milestones.

O'Brien, a native of Manhattan who as a young girl skated at the Chelsea Piers rink just blocks from Madison Square Garden, achieved her first career PWHL goal in a 4-3 victory over Seattle.

But the Badgers' all-time leader in points (274) didn't stop there, adding two more lamplighters to also earn her first hat trick as a professional. That was eight games into the 2025-26 season.

Over the next eight games, the PWHL Rookie of the Year finalist logged six more points (goal, 5 assists) enroute to topping the chart in points for a first-year player with 22 (7 goals, 15 assists).

To the absolute delight of Sirens' nation, the highly regarded forward recently signed a two-year contract through the 2027-28 season. She becomes one of 10 New York players signed beyond next season.

Along with the points production upside O'Brien brings to the 2026-27 club with her top-line firepower, there is also her ability to excel at the dot. Last season, she won 266 faceoffs which equated to a 53.6 percent success rate.

The 2025 Patty Kazmaier Award winner, who won three national titles with the Badgers, is as ecstatic to be back in New York as Sirens' fans are to have her suiting up in teal for this upcoming season and beyond.

"I am so excited to be a Siren for the next two years," said O'Brien, who over the last 10 games as a Sirens' rookie last season produced nine points (goal, 8 assists). "I want to win, and I want to win here in New York. I believe in what we’re building here, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to help create a championship caliber team and culture."

After taking the ice for training camp in November, O'Brien and her teammates will play their first season-opening home game in Sirens' history when the Boston Fleet visit the Prudential Center for a 3 p.m. puck drop.

As a member of the six-team Eastern Conference comprising four established clubs (Boston, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto) and expansion Hamilton, New York certainly does not have an easy path to what would be its first and historic appearance in postseason action.

However, with the PWHL also introducing a new playoff format that places four of the six teams in each conference in the now three-round quest for the Walter Cup, it's a path that is absolutely attainable.

But there will be challenges along the way, including a five-game road trip over the holidays that after a stop in Toronto has the Sirens heading out west to face San Jose, Las Vegas, Seattle and Vancouver.

When New York goes up against Ottawa at The Rock on Saturday, Dec. 19, the team will not be back in Newark again until Sunday, Jan. 10 when former Sirens' goaltender Kayle Osborne and her new Hamilton club is in town for a 2 p.m. start.

But the challenges down't end there.

Once again fans will have to endure a late season of away games which could have New York making its playoff push in enemy barns.

The Sirens will be in the homestretch of possible postseason contention on the road as the club must travel to conference rivals Toronto, Boston and Hamilton to close out the regular season. No favors there from the PWHL.

The most notable home games on New York's schedule are:

-- Tuesday, Feb. 9 vs. San Jose: Although they'll meet up in California on Sunday, Dec. 27, the Sirens will host a reunion of sorts with former team members Kristin O'Neill, Anne Cherkowski, Maddi Wheeler, Corinne Schroeder and Abbey Levy. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. at The Rock.

-- Sunday, March 21 vs. Montreal: The defending PWHL champions finally make their first appearance in Newark. The teams play each other twice before this encounter but not in Newark.

-- Saturday, April 3 vs. Boston: What makes this game intriguing is not the matchup, but where it might be played. Is this the Madison Square Garden game of 2027? Similar to the scenario this past April, the New York Rangers have a game at 12:30 p.m. (vs. Florida) which makes the arena available for the Sirens 7:30 p.m. game that evening.

With just six weeks to go before the Sirens and the 11 other members of the PWHL begin their training sessions, the Sirens now know which skaters and goalies will be suiting up and vying for spots on the opening-day roster.

And there are a few surprises among the 29 invitees.

The 16-skater group of forwards includes Celina Haider from Eisbären Juniors Berlin. The 26-year-old qualified for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina after leading Germany to a first-place showing in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in February 2025. She had previously competed at the IIHF Women’s World Championships in 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

One of the nine skaters among the defensive corps is Cameron Sikich, who last season played for Luleå HF in the SDHL. The 23-year-old Canadian joined the Swedish club last November after four seasons at Brown University.

And vying for a spot among four goaltenders is Quinn Kuntz, a 2025 graduate of the University of Wisconsin. In six games between the posts for the Badgers, she earned two wins and recorded a .970 save percentage and 0.55 GAA. She allowed only two goals on 67 shots all season.

This year, New York will be practicing at the Boston Sports Institute along with the Boston Fleet and Montreal Victoire. Sessions get underway on Nov. 18, with scrimmages taking place Nov. 23-25.

All preseason scrimmages will be 60 minutes of full stoppage action with 21-player lineups, followed by a 3-on-3 overtime and a shootout, regardless of the score.

The Sirens' first pre-season encounter will come against Boston on Nov. 23 at 6 p.m. New York will then be back on the ice less than 24 hours later to battle Montreal at 4 p.m.

Here is the complete New York Sirens' training camp roster (2025-26 team in parenthesis) *-signed), ^-drafted:

Forwards (16): Anna Bargman (New York Sirens) *, Naomi Boucher (Yale University) ^, Sarah Bujold (New York Sirens), Carina DiAntonio (Yale University) ^, Clair DeGeorge (New York Sirens) *, Emmy Fecteau (New York Sirens) *, Sarah Fillier (New York Sirens) *, Celina Haider (Eisbären Juniors Berlin), Elle Hartje (New York Sirens) *, Elisa Holopainen (Frölunda HC) ^, Kristýna Kaltounková (New York Sirens) *, Denisa Křížová (New York Sirens) *, Paetyn Levis (New York Sirens) *, Casey O'Brien (New York Sirens) *, Katelyn Roberts (Penn State University) ^, Makenna Webster (Ohio State University, 2024-25) *.

Defenders (9): Lauren Bernard (New York Sirens) *, Jaime Bourbonnais (New York Sirens) *, Maja Nylén Persson (New York Sirens) *, Emma Peschel (Ohio State University) ^, Dayle Ross (New York Sirens) *, Cameron Sikich (Luleå HF), Nicole Vallario (New York Sirens) *, Grace Wolfe (St. Cloud State University) ^, Micah Zandee-Hart (New York Sirens) *.

Goaltenders (4):Elaine Chuli (Toronto Sceptres) *, Kaley Doyle (New York Sirens) *, Quinn Kuntz (University of Wisconsin, 2024-25), Callie Shanahan (New York Sirens) *.