The Housecleaning Continues: Philadelphia Flyers Won’t Sign 2018 First-Round Pick Jay O’Brien

Sometimes life comes at you fast, and with the 19th pick in the 2018 National Hockey League Entry Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers and General Manager Ron Hextall selected center Jay O’Brien. Fast forward to 2023, Hextall is the current GM of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and O’Brien is set to become a free agent after finishing his senior year at Boston University and finding out the Flyers will not sign him to an entry-level deal.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Flyers have opted not to sign the 23-year-old O’Brien and, as compensation, will receive the 51st overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. This is a bit of a different situation, as it’s not the player refusing to sign with the franchise that drafted him like Blake Wheeler or Jimmy Vesey. Instead, it is the franchise opting not to sign the player; it would appear as though they prefer to save the contract slot and receive the draft pick compensation. It may seem harsh, but this is a business, and interim Flyers GM Daniel Briere has his work cut out for him in re-shaping the current roster.

O’Brien was considered to be a bit of a reach with offensive upside when drafted by Hextall back in 2018 out of Thayer Academy, adding that with some serious injuries and average college production at best the last few years, you could see the writing was on the wall. The young forward has battled shoulder injuries and dealt with a concussion at BU; he also missed a good chunk of games his junior season after having hip surgery. I should note before finding his way to BU, O’Brien spent a year at Providence College, where he struggled with injuries and totaled just 5 points in 25 games as a freshman, so there’s a history there for sure.

It probably doesn’t help the Flyers currently don’t have a second-round pick in 2024 thanks to the deal that brought embattled defensemen Tony DeAngelo to Philadelphia; not signing O’Brien allows Briere to recoup that pick and, as mentioned before, keeps a contract slot open. What Briere decides to do with this newfound capital is anyone’s guess, but no GM will ever complain about having flexibility and options.

In 79 career games at BU, the 6-foot, 188-pound O’Brien amassed 26 goals and 44 assists. These are not terrible numbers by any means, but for a first-round pick that was considered a reach, you are looking for more, and he never really progressed offensively the way the Flyers would’ve liked.

That said, O’Brien was important to the Terriers and their recent success; he was an alternate captain this past season and helped them to reach the NCAA Frozen Four, where he scored a goal in a losing effort against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. He will now look to sign with another NHL team, and I imagine he will have a sizeable chip on his shoulder as he tries to make the Flyers regret their decision not to sign him.

Stanley Cup Aspirations Cue’ the Duck Boats Pod

The boys are back after a long break but have plenty to talk about as the playoffs are in full swing. We go series by series, looking at how teams have fared so far and who will come out on top. Thanks for listening! Please rate and review our show on your favorite listening platform. Check out our partner's website at www.insidetherink.com for all your latest hockey news.
  1. Stanley Cup Aspirations
  2. The Final Countdown
  3. Here Come the Playoffs
  4. Home Stretch
  5. Kevy Cooks

Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Billy Bryson

Billy has written for multiple blogs, websites and publications over a not so illustrious career. Once he was even interviewed on Minnesota Public Radio, how is that for a claim to fame? If you like (or don't like) what Billy has to say, feel free to follow him on Twitter, @BillyBeerLeague, and let him know all about it.

Leave a Reply

Winnipeg Jets Keys to Success for Game Two (04/20/2025)

The Winnipeg Jets battled adversity against the St. Louis Blues, beating them 5-3 after a gutsy third-period effort to gain the 1-0 series edge. Minimize Penalties Taken The St. Louis Blues scored two power-play goals on the three chances they had throughout the game. While most of the calls were questionable for both teams, it […]

Read More
Linus Ullmark #35 in net for the Ottawa Senators

NHL Game Preview: Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs with Line Combinations 4/20/2025

Game 1 Ottawa Senators (0-0) at Toronto Maple Leafs (0-0)Venue: Scotiabank ArenaDate: Tonight – Sunday, April 20Time: 7:00 pm EST TV: ESPN2, CBC, SportsnetRadio:Ottawa – TSN 1200Toronto – TSN 1050 DraftKings Sportsbook Betting Lines:Ottawa +1.5 ML +136Toronto -1.5 ML -162O/U 5.5 Purchase tickets via Ticketmaster Ottawa Senators News & Notes: The Senators defeated the Maple […]

Read More
Nico Hischier and Stefan Noesen celebrate a first-period goal against the Carolina Hurricanes on December 27th at the Prudential Center.

NHL Playoff Preview: New Jersey Devils Path to a Round One Victory

The postseason is here, and the New Jersey Devils are back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs after missing out last season. The Devils begin their campaign on Sunday afternoon in Raleigh, North Carolina, where they face off against the Carolina Hurricanes. This is the second playoff meeting between the Metropolitan Division rivals in the past […]

Read More