Bill Meltzer: Report: O'Brien Headed to BCHL

Not all prospects hit. Way, way to early to write this kid off as a bust. I guess you could look at the positives. Its a character building season...success didn't come easy for him. It also says something that all though the kid struggled he still made the US national team...no small accomplishment.

Given the comments from the GM change I don't think this front office is very high on its long term prospects right now. I think O'Brien could very well be dealt this summer along with a goalie prospect or two.

Given the comments from the GM change I don't think this front office is very high on its long term prospects right now. I think O'Brien could very well be dealt this summer along with a goalie prospect or two.
- hereticpride

1) Not sure how much trade value O'Brien's rights would have has right now. Not very much, I would think.

2) The organization does NOT intend to gut the farm system. Being willing to trade from among prospects and picks does not mean they intend to go hog wild in doing it or that they are not high on certain players (Farabee, Frost, etc.) within the system.

1) Not sure how much trade value O'Brien's rights would have has right now. Not very much, I would think.

2) The organization does NOT intend to gut the farm system. Being willing to trade from among prospects and picks does not mean they intend to go hog wild in doing it or that they are not high on certain players (Farabee, Frost, etc.) within the system.
- bmeltzer

Didn’t they take him due to his elite skills and upside?

They knew he was a project in part.

Trade him for a bag of pucks, makes zero sense

Might as well wait it out with him at this point as he has no real trade value. At best he will be in the ahl in 2/3 years. It was a risky pick and looks more risky today

Bill Meltzer: Report: O'Brien Headed to BCHL
- bmeltzer

O’Brien wasn’t on anyone’s board when we drafted him in the first round to my memory. I feel like Hextall missed on German Rubtsov too. Was Laughton a Hextall pick or a Holmgren pick?

Given the comments from the GM change I don't think this front office is very high on its long term prospects right now. I think O'Brien could very well be dealt this summer along with a goalie prospect or two.
- hereticpride

I doubt this but I think if your goaltending prospect pool is deep, you can pick pocket a team. Detroit doesn’t have any goaltending prospects of note.

Given the comments from the GM change I don't think this front office is very high on its long term prospects right now. I think O'Brien could very well be dealt this summer along with a goalie prospect or two.
- hereticpride

I think it would be foolish to trade a first round pick that hasn't even been in the organization for 10 months. A lot of teams had him rated only slightly lower (late first-early second). Kids develop on different time lines....give this kid a shot. I also think his value is still pretty good....unless there's more to this story ….then to suggest a kid 10 months after being drafted has little value absolutely makes no sense.

1) Not sure how much trade value O'Brien's rights would have has right now. Not very much, I would think.

2) The organization does NOT intend to gut the farm system. Being willing to trade from among prospects and picks does not mean they intend to go hog wild in doing it or that they are not high on certain players (Farabee, Frost, etc.) within the system.
- bmeltzer

not much trade value...10 months later? really?

Didn’t they take him due to his elite skills and upside?

They knew he was a project in part.

Trade him for a bag of pucks, makes zero sense
- wcorvette

agree 100%

What the hell happened in San Jose last night? I gave up on the game and went to bed.

Was Laperriere running the Las Vegas PK in the third period?

not much trade value...10 months later? really?
- landros 2

Probably not equal value. Do you think a team would give up a 1st rounder? I agree with your previous post and ride this out a bit.

What the hell happened in San Jose last night? I gave up on the game and went to bed.

Was Laperriere running the Las Vegas PK in the third period?
- PLindbergh31

It sucks Pavelski got hurt but I don't see how that was a 5 minute major. Wild game.

O’Brien wasn’t on anyone’s board when we drafted him in the first round to my memory. I feel like Hextall missed on German Rubtsov too. Was Laughton a Hextall pick or a Holmgren pick?
- SuperSchennBros

At least one other organization I know of was thinking about stepping up on O'Brien in Rd. 1. And the Bruins, who didn't have a first round pick, supposedly were looking for ways to be able to move up and get up.

With Rubtsov, who played really well for the Phantoms before his shoulder injury knocked him out for the season, let's see how he plays next season. Didn't have a good draft +2 season in the Q but his D+1 in Russia/QMJHL was solid when he wasn't out with injuries.

Laughton was a Holmgren pick (2012).

not much trade value...10 months later? really?
- landros 2

He missed more than half the season due to injuries, including at least one confirmed (and a second suspected) concussion. The level of play was a slower-than-hoped adaptation when he was healthy. So he's a project right now, and projects don't carrry big value.

It sucks Pavelski got hurt but I don't see how that was a 5 minute major. Wild game.
- FlyerFan16

I saw the highlights. I don't ever recall a team scoring 4 PP goals during a 5 minute major.

I saw the highlights. I don't ever recall a team scoring 4 PP goals during a 5 minute major.
- PLindbergh31

Me either. While I do think it was a bad call, Vegas can't let that happen. That was ridiculous.

1) Not sure how much trade value O'Brien's rights would have has right now. Not very much, I would think.

2) The organization does NOT intend to gut the farm system. Being willing to trade from among prospects and picks does not mean they intend to go hog wild in doing it or that they are not high on certain players (Farabee, Frost, etc.) within the system.
- bmeltzer

1) Fair enough. But I would not be shocked if he was part of a package deal in the slightest.

2) I don't think I said anything along the lines of the team is intending to "gut" the farm system. But didn't it come out that they want to stay away from long term projects in the near future? And with Hart there is really no reason to hang onto all the goalie prospects we have. They'll never find the minutes for all of them. I can easily see one being dealt.

So glad to see the leafs out.I hope the flyers can grab one of their rfa's.I would like to see Kapanen here.Should have drafted him originally. He is sami's kid you knew what he was made of.Kid grew up in philly's dressing room for crying out loud.

So glad to see the leafs out.I hope the flyers can grab one of their rfa's.I would like to see Kapanen here.Should have drafted him originally. He is sami's kid you knew what he was made of.Kid grew up in philly's dressing room for crying out loud.
- flyeredup85

I like Kapanen but we need to get these Flyers ties out of our mindset. I want the best players and coaches available. Doesn't matter if their dad is someone we love like Sami or someone we loathed like Domi.

Wise decision. College is a scam and a joke. Play more hockey

This kid is serious about his hockey career

O’Brien wasn’t on anyone’s board when we drafted him in the first round to my memory. I feel like Hextall missed on German Rubtsov too. Was Laughton a Hextall pick or a Holmgren pick?
- SuperSchennBros

Homer

Me either. While I do think it was a bad call, Vegas can't let that happen. That was ridiculous.
- FlyerFan16

Agreed all the way around. The referees overreacted to Pavelski being injured. It was a two minute minor at most. LVK players whining about the referees is sour grapes. You can't allow 4 PP goals. That's absurd.

O’Brien wasn’t on anyone’s board when we drafted him in the first round to my memory. I feel like Hextall missed on German Rubtsov too. Was Laughton a Hextall pick or a Holmgren pick?
- SuperSchennBros

Still have solid hope for rubstov. He was not a reach. He was the next guy on a lot of boards I’m sure