For Liam O’Brien, the road to the NHL hasn’t been easy but it has been worth it.

The 20-year old Halifax native was selected 10th overall in the 2010 QMJHL Draft by the Rimouski Océanic, but was twice traded, first to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies midway through the 2011-12 season, and again last May when he was dealt to the Sherbrooke Phoenix.

O’Brien tallied 20 goals and 15 assists for 35 points and added 148 penalty minutes in 68 games with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Over his entire QMJHL career, he has played in 261 games, racking up 42 goals and 53 assists for 95 points and 493 penalty minutes.  Along the way, he was twice invited to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ summer development camps but he was never drafted.

In 2014, the Washington Capitals came calling. He received an invitation to the team’s fall rookie camp and then it was on to training camp. Despite showing up to camp in a wheelchair due to an ankle injury, O’Brien managed to battle his way on to the Capitals’ roster at the start of the season. He was offered a three-year contract and played in 13 games for Washington season, scoring a goal and adding an assist. He also played in 45 games for the Hershey Bears, the team’s AHL affiliate.
This past season, O’Brien played exclusively with the Hershey Bears where he scored seven goals and notched nine assists in 59 games.