(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Forward Liam O'Brien (Halifax, NS) has signed a three-year contract with the Utah Hockey Club (formerly the Arizona Coyotes).
“We are very pleased to sign Liam to a three-year contract,” said Utah Hockey Club General Manager Bill Armstrong. “He adds energy, grit and physical presence to the line-up every night that will greatly complement the excitement we expect from Utah hockey fans, especially in our inaugural season. We look forward to having Liam on our roster for the next several seasons.”
The 29-year-old O’Brien registered 5-9-14 and 153 penalty minutes (PIM) in 75 games with the Arizona Coyotes in 2023-24, all of which are new career-highs. He also led the team with 229 hits which tied for the 14th-most among NHL forwards.
In 2022-23, the Halifax, Nova Scotia native recorded 3-8-11 and 114 PIM in 56 games with the Coyotes, also finishing second on the team with 203 hits.
During O’Brien’s first season with the Coyotes in 2021-22, he tallied 2-1-3 and 106 PIM in 39 games and was named the Coyotes winner of the Jukka Nieminen Trophy which was given yearly to the club’s hardest working player.
The 6-foot-1, 213-pound O’Brien has recorded 11-22-33 and 441 PIM in 199 career NHL games with the Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche and Washington Capitals.
O’Brien has also collected 67-78-145 and 653 PIM in 382 career AHL contests.
He was a first round selection (10th overall) of the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL in 2010.