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Report: O'Brien Headed to BCHL |
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On Tuesday, Jeff Cox reported that Flyers 2018 first-round pick Jay O'Brien has entered the NCAA transfer protocol after his freshman season at Providence. O'Brien plans to play next season at the Junior A level to play in the BCHL for the Penticton Vees. O'Brien, who will turn 20 on Nov. 4, will still have three seasons of NCAA eligibility remaining come the 2020-21 season.
O'Brien impressed last summer at the Flyers Development Camp shortly after the NHL Draft, and stood out positively for Team USA at the World Junior Showcase in late July and early August. He parlayed the latter into a spot on Team USA at the 2019-20 World Junior Championships.
Unfortunately, O'Brien's freshman season at Providence did not go as hoped. First and foremost, he missed several extended stretches due to injury. That included O'Brien being unavailable during the road to the Frozen Four (Providence was defeated in the national championship semifinals).
In the meantime, O'Brien struggled to make a quick adaptation from high school at Thayer Academy to Div. 1 collegiate hockey as a true freshman. He would up producing just five points (two goals, three assists) in 25 games. At the World Junior Championships, O'Brien hardly received any ice time and was a non-factor for Team USA. After his return to Providence, O'Brien had a brief uptick around midseason before he got injured once again.
Why would O'Brien choose to leave college for a year and play junior A hockey? The fact O'Brien needs to play more games than he would in a college season -- there is a 58-game regular season in the BCHL -- while focusing exclusively on hockey rather than balancing it with his coursework is likely part of his reasoning.
Unlike a transfer to Canadian major junior hockey, there is flexibility for O'Brien on the other side of spending a season either in the USHL or in Junior A in Canada. He does not have to forfeit his remaining NCAA eligibility. He can either return to Providence or play elsewhere in the NCAA after his season in the BCHL. Conversely, if he played in the CHL, the soon-to-be-20 O'Brien would be playing an overage season. If he's not pro-ready in a year -- he'd need to come a long way in a short time -- and not NCAA eligible, his options would be limited.
As for an immediate college transfer, he'd be able to take courses at his new school. However, under NCAA rules, he'd have to sit out the 2019-20 season (albeit without losing a year of hockey program eligibility).
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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