The New York Sirens’ first-round draft pick, Casey O’Brien [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/bold-trade-brings-casey-o-brien-home-to-new-york], has been busy since the PWHL Draft. She took a “media tour” across New York, attending sporting events, marching in the NYC Pride Parade, inspiring young hockey players, and more. A New York native, O’Brien wasn’t expecting to be selected by her hometown team. The Sirens held the first overall pick in the draft and selected Kristýna Kaltounková. The second pick went to Boston, and the third to Toronto. But when O’Brien heard that New York had traded up for the third overall pick, she said, “My whole family kind of looked at each other like, ‘Oh my god, wait. Could they pick me?” Indeed, the Sirens selected O’Brien with the third pick in a trade that sent Ella Shelton to the Toronto Sceptres. While the moment was emotional, O’Brien had little time to process it. Less than 24 hours later, she was on a flight to New York. The draft took place on Tuesday, June 24, in Ottawa, Canada. By Thursday morning, O’Brien had woken up in New York City and was on her way to her first interview as a New York Siren. “Waking up, I was like, I can’t believe that this is real, that this is my life now,” O’Brien told The Hockey News. “And how many different organizations and people wanted to talk about women’s hockey and the Sirens was so special to me. It was such a whirlwind, I needed a few days after that whole week to fully process what just happened.” Over the next week, O’Brien attended a wide range of events and met people from all over. She met John Legend on The Morning Show, visited NHL headquarters, appeared on numerous talk shows, and more. Still adjusting to her new title as a professional athlete, O’Brien also attended a Yankees game (MLB) and a New York Red Bulls match (MLS). For her, the most surreal part was revisiting places she had gone as a child. “The last time I had been to Yankee Stadium, I think, was 2009 for the World Series. And going back there, I texted my family, and they sent me pictures from when I was there as a kid,” O’Brien said. “It just doesn’t feel real.” She also attended the NYC Pride Parade for the first time. “It was basically a giant party, and it was just so cool. You could feel the love in the air. I know a big part of the PWHL fan base and community is part of the LGBTQ+ community, so I know how much that means to our sport and our fans,” she continued.“To be part of something like that—especially partnering with the NHL—was so special, and I had the best time.” O’Brien’s final stop on her New York media week was a visit to the Prudential Center, home of the Sirens and New Jersey Devils, where she met with players from the Jersey Girls Hockey Club. According to NHL.com [https://www.nhl.com/devils/community/nj-hockey/jersey-girls-hockey-club], the Jersey Girls Hockey Club 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’s mission is to give young female players the resources to grow in the sport—and, ideally, become professional players themselves. O’Brien spent time with the girls, sharing stories and answering questions. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils/latest-news/future-on-the-ice-devils-and-o-brien-nurture-the-next-generation-of-girls-hockey] “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 after the 2024 Stadium Series, has grown over the past two years. Girls from across New Jersey, New York, and surrounding areas come together to play at the Prudential Center. Traveling outside the city to play hockey is something O’Brien is all too familiar with. Growing up in New York City, she often had to go to New Jersey for ice time. “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, traveling to New Jersey was one of the only ways to pursue hockey seriously. Today, the New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center continue to expand programs for young girls in the game—so players like O’Brien can have a place to play closer to home. The New York Sirens have not yet released their 2025–26 schedule, but fans can expect to see Casey O’Brien taking the ice at the Prudential Center, proudly representing girls across the region who love the game. “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
