With the North American Hockey League’s Top Prospects Tournament less than a week away, we continue taking a closer look at all of the Tomahawks representatives that will represent the Johnstown Tomahawks at the highly scouted event in Plymouth, Mich.
Today, we take a look at forward Kelly O’Brien, who is making his first appearance in the tournament.
A native of Southgate, Mich., O’Brien came to the North American Hockey League from Belle Tire U18 of the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League. During the 2014-14 campaign, O’Brien scored five goals and added 12 assists, helping Belle Tire finish second in the Detroit division with a 28-8-1 overall record.
O’Brien started the 2014-15 season with the Minnesota Magicians, appearing in 38 games. He tallied two goals and three assists, before being acquired by the Keystone Ice Miners in February 2015.
O’Brien made his debut with the Ice Miners in Johnstown against the Tomahawks. He would go on to play 12 more games for Keystone, scoring a goal and adding two assists. He also appeared in two of the Ice Miners Roberson Cup playoff games.
This season, O’Brien has become one of the Tomahawks top scorers, entering this weekend’s games with 14 goals and 19 assists in 42 games. His 14 goals rank third on the team, while his 19 assists are tied for fourth.
O’Brien, along with his six chosen teammates, will be scouted by more than 200 scouts at the Top Prospects Tournament; a chance for all involved to move onto the next level.
Stay tuned for more information regarding the tournament and how you can follow along. Tomorrow, we will take a look at forward Luke Lynch, who will be a part of the Selects team.