Happy Jay O’Brien Day to those who celebrate! The Philadelphia Flyers have officially released their former prospect, as his rights expired on Aug. 15. This means that O’Brien will now be free to negotiate a contract and sign with any NHL team of his choosing, he will very likely need to begin his journey in professional hockey in the AHL or ECHL.
O’Brien was originally drafted 19th overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, adding to a lengthy list of draft busts selected by former GM Ron Hextall. The 2018 draft was not a particularly deep one, but there are still quite a few players out there producing, even in limited roles.