Latest news with #CaseyO'Brien
New York Post
27-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Casey O'Brien had homecoming dream fulfilled as Sirens' draft pick
Sitting with her family at Tuesday's PWHL Draft in Ottawa, Ontario, Casey O'Brien was talking through her most likely landing spots — Toronto, Montreal or Ottawa — when she learned the Sirens had traded up for the third pick. 'Oh, my god,' she thought to herself. 'Wait, am I going to New York?' O'Brien knew there was a good chance. And when the Sirens confirmed her suspicions by picking her a few moments later, she felt a mix of 'shock and excitement.' Advertisement Casey O'Brien was drafted by the Sirens. NCAA Photos via Getty Images 'I think I blacked out,' O'Brien told reporters Wednesday, overlooking the city from the observation deck atop Rockefeller Center. 'We were kind of just sitting there, trying to stay calm, not be too nervous, and then the trade happens.' Moments after selecting Czech forward Kristyna Kaltounkova first overall, the Sirens traded forward Ella Shelton to Toronto for the Nos. 3 and 27 picks, setting the stage for O'Brien's selection. The 5-foot-4 forward out of Wisconsin said she had 'great conversations' with Sirens management ahead of the draft, but she had no idea New York would trade up for her. Advertisement It was the result she secretly had hoped for all along, because she grew up in SoHo and learned to play hockey at the Chelsea Piers sports complex, which she called 'the rink that built me.' O'Brien would take constant trips to Chelsea Piers, even before she learned to skate, because her older brothers, Jack and Max, played hockey there, and her dad, James, coached the house league team. 'I always wanted to do what they were doing, so they let me hop on the ice with them, and I immediately fell in love with the game,' she said. Advertisement She eventually shipped off to Minnesota prep powerhouse Shattuck St. Mary's in 2017, where she posted 211 points in 122 games over a three-season stretch. Casey O'Brien played collegiately at Wisconsin. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images She continued to excel with Wisconsin, winning three national titles in five seasons and earning the Patty Kazmaier Award as the best collegiate player after a terrific senior season. Now, after eight years of starring on winning teams, she'll look to help the Sirens develop a winning culture after two seasons at the bottom of the standings. Advertisement 'We're not looking at the past at all. None of the players are. I don't think the management is either,' O'Brien said. 'We're coming in with a blank slate, and we're ready to get going together.' The 23-year-old will get to do so with several teammates she knows, including Sarah Fillier, Anne Cherkowski and Makenna Webster, a longtime teammate O'Brien described as her 'best friend in the world.' 'I think most of these players I've at least shared the ice with at one point or another, and we're all familiar with each other,' O'Brien said. 'And so I think we're going to all have chemistry right away.'
USA Today
26-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Women's hockey star Casey O'Brien reflects on PWHL draft: 'Dream come true'
Casey O'Brien, who recently celebrated her victory in the 2025 NCAA women's ice hockey national championship with the Wisconsin Badgers, has achieved yet another milestone in her career. She was selected as the third overall pick in the 2025 PWHL Draft, marking a significant moment for both O'Brien and the New York Sirens. O'Brien's career is highlighted by several notable achievements, including breaking school records with a total of 88 points, comprised of 26 goals and 62 assists. One of the most prestigious honors O'Brien has received is the 2025 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. This award is presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey and recognizes exceptional individual and team skills, sportsmanship, and a passion for the game—qualities that O'Brien exemplifies. "I come from a family of hockey players with my dad and brothers. Their love for the game is what got me on the ice and ignited my passion for hockey," O'Brien said. "Their support and guidance have been instrumental in my career." Since capping off an impressive fifth-year at Wisconsin, O'Brien was a top pick for the New York Sirens in the 2025 PWHL Draft. The professional ice hockey league for women was established in 2023 and began its inaugural season the same year. "This entire year feels unreal. For two years, we heard that this league could become a reality, and when it did, I realized that I could take the next step in my career," O'Brien said. "There was no place I preferred to go ahead of the draft, and it couldn't have been scripted better for me and my family than hearing my name called to play for my hometown team." New York Sirens select Casey O'Brien third overall In the 2025 PWHL Draft, the New York Sirens selected Casey O'Brien, the 2025 Patty Kazmaier Award winner and a center forward, with the third overall pick. This selection was part of a trade that sent veteran defender Ella Shelton to the Toronto Sceptres in exchange for Toronto's third overall pick. "Now, returning to New York as a professional player and giving back to the community that shaped me is truly a dream come true," O'Brien said. When does the PWHL season start? The 2025 season schedule for the Professional Women's Hockey League has not yet been released. However, last season began on Saturday, November 30th, and consisted of 90 games, with each team playing 30 regular-season games.
New York Times
25-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
PWHL Draft 2025: Best picks, biggest surprises and why New York stole the show
OTTAWA – Pascal Daoust started Tuesday night's PWHL Draft under a microscope. The New York franchise Daoust has constructed since the league's inaugural draft in 2023 finished last in the league standings two years in a row. He left American star forward Alex Carpenter unprotected in expansion and left many fans confused by his choice to stockpile defenders at the expense of the team's forward talent. Advertisement Understandably, a lot of pre-draft chatter was about what exactly Daoust might be doing. But three picks into the first-round – and certainly by the end of the night, with two trades and nine selections, including two of the top three players available – Daoust was at the winner's table. He started by selecting Kristýna Kaltounková with the No. 1 pick, adding a physical forward with international experience and a heavy shot to bring more offense to the Sirens lineup. It was hardly a surprising pick given Kaltounková's experience with New York head coach Greg Fargo from Colgate University. But then came the first big move of the night: New York sent defender Ella Shelton to Toronto in exchange for the No. 3 pick and a fourth-round pick. With the No. 3 pick, Daoust selected Patty Kazmaier Award winner Casey O'Brien, adding a gifted playmaker and highly productive college forward to the early haul. He leveraged a position of strength to draft the two best forwards coming out of the NCAA. 'Coming here, I didn't have one specific plan. I was open-minded,' Daoust told The Athletic. 'But the closer we got to the draft, the more I knew where I could do some shopping, and I knew that I started my own boutique 'Rent-A-D (dot) com' so I was kind of popular on the phone. 'I was patient, and there was a way for me to flip some strength from the D to put it on the forward side and that was the intent tonight.' Later in the evening, Daoust traded forward Abby Roque, who was inconsistent in New York, to Montreal in exchange for defensive forward Kristin O'Neill and a fourth-round pick. When the deal was announced, there were audible gasps throughout the crowd. The Sirens looked good on paper the last two years but couldn't quite figure things out on the ice. And there are many months until the 2025-26 season to figure out if Daoust truly pulled off the turnaround it looks like New York should have. Regardless, the Sirens and their GM stole the show for most of the 2025 PWHL Draft. But that doesn't mean there weren't other surprises or picks to unpack around the league. Let's get into it. New York had a big day with several meaningful additions to the roster. Kaltounková and O'Brien highlight the list, but Anne Cherkowski and Makenna Webster — who is also an elite field hockey player — are also strong two-way forwards who could scale the top-nine and add the kind of consistent secondary scoring that had been missing over the last two seasons. Dayle Ross should be a good shutdown defender for a blue line with a lot of offensive talent. Taking Anna Bargman — a solid two-way potential bottom-six forward from Yale — in the sixth round was a savvy way to round out a new look forward corps. Advertisement Best pick: Casey O'Brien (Round 1, No. 3) Getting O'Brien at No. 3 feels like a steal. She was the most dominant forward in college hockey last season and put together a historic offensive season. She's an elite playmaker and has shown she has easy chemistry with elite scoring wingers (like Kirsten Simms at Wisconsin), which could make O'Brien a perfect fit at center beside Sarah Fillier. Biggest surprise: Drafting two goalies Projecting goaltenders – how many get drafted and where they might land – is always a tricky exercise. I figured at least three goalies would go, given most teams needed back-ups after the expansion draft movement. But I'll admit I didn't see New York drafting both Callie Shanahan and Kaley Doyle coming, With former No. 1 Corinne Schroeder now in Seattle and backup Abbey Levy signing in Boston, maybe it shouldn't have been a big surprise that New York wanted to solidify its goalie depth chart. If nothing else, the selections set up what could be an interesting crease behind Kayle Osborne next season. Boston put together a solid draft, filling some of the big holes left in the wake of expansion. On Tuesday night, Marmer said every person they drafted is 'somebody who fits into our lineup.' That starts more obviously with No. 2 pick Haley Winn, a dynamic offensive defender who led Clarkson in scoring this season, even from the blue line. Riley Brengman is more of a third-pair option, but should shore up Boston's depth on the blue line at five-on-five and the penalty kill. At forward, Ella Huber, Olivia Mobley and Abby Newhook could add some offense back into the lineup after losing Hilary Knight and Hannah Bilka. Mobley was among the top goalscorers available out of college and only O'Brien and Kaltounková had more points than Huber (48) among draft eligibles. Best pick: Ella Huber (Round 2, No. 10) The most impactful pick next year is surely going to be Winn, but we can't just pick all the first-rounders here. And Huber at 10th overall is a nice pickup by Marmer. Huber is a versatile forward who adds some necessary speed to Boston's lineup. She'll also be able to play multiple different roles for the Fleet, either as a third-line checking forward or the 1C beside a star winger, like she's done for years beside Abbey Murphy at Minnesota. Advertisement Biggest surprise: Abby Newhook (Round 5, No. 34) The Boston College forward was listed as one of the league's top prospects, but fell to Round 5, where Marmer said she was 'wildly surprised' to see her still available. Newhook is a high-skill player who coaches call a total work horse. Her production last season doesn't jump off the page, but she can elevate her game when playing with elite players and could find success in Boston as a result. 'I think people are going to be surprised by the success that she can have in this league,' Marmer said. Toronto certainly got bigger through the draft with four out of five players measuring at least 5-foot-9 and one (Emma Gentry) as tall as 5-foot-11. GM Gina Kingsbury said it wasn't a priority to simply add size, but it was the size mixed with the skill and upside of each player that drew them to Toronto. Gentry, for example, has pro size, is a physical competitor and has a nose for the net. Clara Van Wieren is another physically imposing center, but is also coming off a 40-point NCAA season. The Sceptres also made a trade splash sending Kristen Campbell and the 19th overall pick to Vancouver in exchange for the 16th and 23rd picks. The move looks like a win-win for a team that wanted more stability in the crease, and a player who probably needed a fresh start. Best pick: Sara Hjalmarsson (Round 5, No. 35) Hjalmarsson went undrafted last season, and might have flown under the radar compared to some college forwards after playing the last two seasons in the SDHL. She's a good offensive player and brings size (5-foot-9) to the lineup. Hjalmarsson is good at the net front and projects to be a solid bottom-six power forward for Toronto, which would fill the hole left by Julia Gosling in expansion. Biggest surprise: The Shelton trade Heading into the draft, Toronto's biggest need was arguably at forward after losing Sarah Nurse, Hannah Miller, Izzy Daniel and Gosling in expansion and free agency. But instead of drafting a top forward at No. 3, the Sceptres swerved and traded for a defender. According to Kingsbury, the Shelton deal and the one to move Campbell were connected. She also said moving Campbell and acquiring another second-round pick gave the team 'more courage' to give up their first-round pick and go after a defender. That Shelton was available at all is a bit of a surprise, too, but was likely the only defender who would elicit such a strong return for New York. Shelton was a finalist for Defender of the Year just last season and led all defenders in goals this season (8). Her addition solidifies the Toronto blue line and will allow No. 1 defender Renata Fast to not play quite as much as she has over the last two seasons. Montreal did a nice job adding a mix of skill and depth through the draft. Selecting Nicole Gosling was a great start at No. 4. She's a cerebral defender and broke Erin Ambrose's all-time scoring record at Clarkson with 148 career points. Natalie Mlýnková should add some goal scoring to the top-six while Skylar Irving and Maya Labad could be excellent bottom-six additions. On the blueline, Tamara Giaquinto, the Big East Defender of the Year, was a solid final round pick. Advertisement Best pick: Natálie Mlýnková (Round 2, No. 12) With four defenders going in the first round, some top forwards dropped out of the first round, including Mlýnková, a gifted goal scorer from the University of Minnesota. She's a smaller forward but is slippery with the puck, can escape small areas and is good at finding soft spots in the offensive zone to get her shot off. In Montreal, Mlýnková could be a scoring winger beside Marie-Philip Poulin, or add much-needed secondary scoring from Line 2. Biggest surprise: The Roque trade For all the talk about New York, Montreal acquiring Abby Roque might be the most interesting thing that happened on draft night. She's an American forward who opponents hate to play against, and she's had her fair share of physical run-ins with Poulin. LMAO who remembers this😅 welcome to mtl abby roque — 💭 (@habsxmtl) June 25, 2025 GM Danièle Sauvageau said when the offer first came to her, she thought, Why would we be doing this? But as she thought more she realized that Roque could be a strong 2C for Montreal, which made the deal work. And while it was surely hard to trade O'Neill, Roque could also be a more consistent offensive center than O'Neill had been, with a similar grit and sandpaper to her game. Ottawa's draft class was interesting. First, they added Rory Guilday, the 5-foot-11 shutdown defender from Cornell University, at No. 5 to beef up the blue line. Then GM Mike Hirshfeld took a swing at Russian forward Anna Shokhina with their second-round pick, and later added her compatriot 27-year-old forward Fanuza Kadirova. Sarah Wozniewicz, one of the best checking forwards in college, was a perfect Ottawa Charge selection, especially given her connection to coach Carla MacLeod, who coached Wozniewicz in high school. Peyton Hemp, a consistent top-six forward at Minnesota was also a nice pick up. Goalie Sanni Ahola also adds depth behind No. 1 goalie Gwyneth Philips. Best pick: Sanni Ahola (Round 5, No. 37) It was surprising to see Ahola drop to the fifth round behind two other goalies. She's been Finland's No. 1 goalie at women's worlds the last few years and was unbelievable in 2024, making the third-most saves (169) in the tournament to get Finland back on the podium. She was also named WCHA Goalie of the Year in 2023-24 after posting five shutouts and a .935 save percentage. Advertisement Ahola had a down year at St. Cloud this season, which is probably why she dropped, but Ottawa did well to pick her up. 'To see her still available at that point, we were a little bit surprised, to be honest with you,' said Hirshfeld. 'But absolutely thrilled to get her and think she'll be a really terrific backup for (Philips).' Biggest surprise: Anna Shokhina (Round 2, No. 13) A star in Russia, Shokhina was a wild card heading into Tuesday night's draft. She has led the top league in Russia in scoring six times and has been named MVP once. She's a highly skilled winger who looked to be a worthwhile late-round bet. But Hirshfeld — who called Shokhina the fourth most talented player in the draft — jumped at the chance to draft her in the second round. It's still a question about how her game might translate, given the varied quality of the ZhHL and PWHL, but Hirshfeld was steadfast that Shokhina is 'going to be a superstar in this league.' Minnesota's top priority on Tuesday was rebuilding the blue line after losing four lineup regulars — Sophie Jaques, Claire Thompson, Mellissa Chanell-Watkins and Maggie Flaherty — from the 2025 championship team. In the first-round, the Frost drafted for need, selecting an offensive-minded defender in Kendall Cooper. Then drafted a pair of right-shot defenders in Ava Rinker, a quick transitional player, and Brooke Becker, a more physical defender, in the later rounds. Best pick: Abby Hustler (Round 2, No. 14) General manager Melissa Caruso said she was 'shocked' Hustler was available to Minnesota at 14th overall. She has good size (5-foot-9) and is a great power forward, which could fill the void left by Brooke McQuigge being taken by Vancouver. Hustler has a pro shot and good feel for the puck around the net. Only Kaltounková and O'Brien had more goals last season than Hustler's 19 among college draft eligibles. She should be a seamless fit in Minnesota's middle-six. Biggest surprise: Anna Segedi (Round 3, No. 22) Segedi is a very smart center who is strong on faceoffs. She was captain at St. Lawrence as a fifth-year senior this season and has international experience playing for China at women's worlds and at the 2022 Olympics. Maybe the hope is that Segedi will replace Denisa Křížová as a bottom-six center, but the third-round felt like a bit of a reach for a depth center. After so much buzz around the expansion draft and free agency, Vancouver had a relatively quiet draft night — save for trading for Campbell and drafting one of the very best European forwards of all-time in Michelle Karvinen. Cara Gardner Morey rounded out those moves with depth on defense, drafting well-rounded defender Nina Jobst-Smith from Minnesota-Duluth, and at forward with Brianna Brooks, a 5-foot-9 right-shot forward from Penn State. Advertisement Best pick: Michelle Karvinen (Round 1, No. 7) The Karvinen pick was the kind of savvy win-now move we've already come to expect from Gardner Morey as general manager. The 35-year old forward is still skilled and was productive in the SDHL last season. She's a good skater, smart with the puck and has good hands in tight, particularly around the net. She might not play as long as some of the younger forwards taken in Round 2, but rather than estimating a players development path, Gardner Morey – and Vancouver head coach Brian Idalski who coached Karvinen at North Dakota – will know exactly what they're getting out of the veteran next season. Biggest Surprise: Chanreet Bassi (Round 6, No. 48) With the final pick in the draft, Vancouver selected a B.C. born forward and University of British Columbia standout Chanreet Bassi. She was the only USports player drafted this year and becomes just the sixth all-time to be taken in a PWHL Draft. Bassi is also the first South Asian player to be drafted in the PWHL. She finished top three in conference scoring each of her last four years playing in Canada West and can play a gritty physical style of hockey in Vancouver's bottom-six. It was a nice pick for a local player who will get a good shot at a depth role in training camp. With so much elite talent joining Seattle out of the expansion signing period and draft, such as Hilary Knight and Carpenter, GM Meghan Turner mostly focused on adding depth and complementary pieces to all three positions. Ohio State's Jenna Buglioni is a hard-working center who can play up and down the lineup. Hannah Murphy can be a solid No. 2 behind Corinne Schroeder. Lyndie Lobdell, a right-shot from Penn State can add depth to the blueline that already includes Cayla Barnes and Aneta Tejralová. While forward Jada Habisch and Olivia Wallin could be useful bottom-six players. 'We have a strong group of elite players,' said Turner. 'And I think this group is going to complement that group we already have very well.' Best Pick: Hannah Murphy (Round 2, No. 15) At this point in the draft, there were still some solid forwards available like Kiara Zanon and Makenna Webster. But with Buglioni taken in the first-round, I actually really like the Murphy selection in Round 2. She was The Athletic's top goalie available after posting an outstanding .939 save percentage in her final year at Colgate. Murphy is a good sized, athletic, and technically sound goalie. With Seattle being on the west coast and so much projected travel, it's going to be key to have two good goaltenders. Murphy should be able to take some of the workload off Schroeder, if not become a reliable 1B in a tandem. Biggest Surprise: Olivia Wallin (Round 6, No. 47) Wallin was perhaps the biggest faller of the night, being selected by Seattle with their sixth and final pick in the draft. She scored 40 points for the University of Minnesota-Duluth last season, which was tied for the team lead with Clara Van Wieren, who was taken in the third-round by Toronto. Turner didn't seem surprised that Wallin was still available at that point in the draft, which speaks to the question marks some evaluators raised about Wallin's ability to progress as a pro forward. Still, at her best, Wallin has a knack for scoring and Turner said she was happy with the selection. (Top photo of Kristýna Kaltounková : AP Photo / Petr David Josek)
Reuters
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Sirens select Colgate F Kristyna Kaltounkova No. 1 in PWHL draft
June 25 - After spending their No. 1 overall pick in the PWHL draft on Colgate forward Kristyna Kaltounkova, the New York Sirens traded up to acquire the No. 3 pick and selected Wisconsin center Casey O'Brien on Tuesday. With the Sirens' roster depleted by the expansion draft, general manager Pascal Daoust worked out a deal with the Toronto Sceptres to bolster the offense with standout scorers. In the swap, Daoust sent top defenseman Ella Shelton to Toronto for its first- and fourth-round picks (No. 27). The Sirens lost two of their top three scorers, Alex Carpenter and Jessie Eldridge, along with starting goaltender Corinne Schroeder to Seattle in the expansion draft and signing process earlier in June. New York scored a league-low 71 goals, with Carpenter and Eldridge combining for 20. The Sirens held the No. 1 pick in last year's draft as well, taking forward Sarah Fillier, who tied for the PWHL points lead last season with 29. A native of the Czech Republic, Kaltounkova is the first European-born player to go No. 1 in the PWHL draft. She's quite familiar with Sirens coach Greg Fargo, who was her coach at Colgate, where she was the school's all-time leading goal scorer (111) and second all-time in points (223). "Watching who's on the roster, I'm just really excited to get started," Kaltounkova said. "I'm happy to jump in and help out as much as I can and make an impact immediately." O'Brien led the country with 88 points (26 goals, 62 assists), won the Patty Kazmaier Award and helped lead the Badgers to a national championship. With the No. 2 pick, the Boston Fleet chose Haley Winn, who saw fellow Clarkson defenseman Nicole Gosling go to the Montreal Victoire with the No. 4 selection. The Nos. 5 and 6 selections were also defensemen, as the Ottawa Charge tabbed Cornell's Rory Guilday and the Minnesota Frost drafted Kendall Cooper from Quinnipiac. Rounding out the first round of the six-round draft, Vancouver took forward Michelle Karvinen from Frolunda HC in Sweden at No. 7, followed by Seattle's selection of Ohio State forward Jenna Buglioni at No. 8. --Field Level Media
National Post
25-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Toronto Sceptres make noise at PWHL draft, trade for top New York Sirens defender Ella Shelton
OTTAWA — The Toronto Sceptres didn't own the first-overall pick in the PWHL draft, but they certainly stole the thunder in Ottawa last night. Article content With Patty Kazmaier Award winner Casey O'Brien still on the board, the Sceptres turned the draft on its head early by trading the No. 3 pick in the draft to the New York Sirens for defender Ella Shelton. Article content Article content New York also received Toronto's fourth-round pick in the deal. Article content Then just as the draft was settling into a bit of a routine, the Sceptres shook things up again. Toronto dealt its starting goaltender, Kristen (Soupy) Campbell, of its first two seasons to Vancouver for the expansion club's second- and third-round picks (16th and 23rd overall), while also giving up their own third-round pick (19th overall). Article content The move is a good one for both Campbell and the Sceptres. Campbell gets a fresh start in Vancouver alongside national squad teammate Emerance Maschmeyer. Campbell had a rocky finish to an up-and -down tenure with the Sceptres as she was on the bench for Toronto's final game of the playoffs after tough Games 2 and 3 in the semifinal loss to Minnesota. Article content Campbell had a tonne of good moments in the Toronto net, but with the signing of former Montreal netminder Elaine Chuli and Raygan Kirk somehow avoiding being selected in the expansion draft, the writing was on the wall for Campbell's future in Toronto. Article content Shelton, meanwhile, has been one of the top defenders in the PWHL since the league began and even scored the first goal in league history against her new club. Article content She is very familiar to Toronto's braintrust, having played a prominent role on Canada's national women's team where Sceptres GM Gina Kingsbury and head coach Troy Ryan held the same roles. Article content In a year in which defenders were flying around at the expansion draft, then again during free agency, building a reliable, consistent blue line has become a priority for teams. Article content The Sceptres lost a key defender in Megan Carter, last year's second-rounder, when she went to Seattle in the expansion draft. Article content With no disrespect intended to Carter, who had a very solid first year in the league, Shelton is an unquestioned upgrade at this position for the Sceptres. Article content Like Renata Fast, who is expected to walk away with the league's defender of the year honour at Wednesday's awards, Shelton is a strong two-way defender as capable of jumping into the rush and providing offence as she is protecting her own end.
