Ron Hextall made a bold move selecting a high schooler from Thayer Academy in Jay O’Brien with the 19th overall pick at the 2018 NHL Draft, “It was great hearing my name get called by the Flyers organization,” O’Brien said, “I couldn’t wait to get started, and now here we are at my second Developmental Camp.”
O’Brien is a great skater and stick handler. He can reach top-end speeds in a matter of seconds, as he is very good at separating himself from his opponents. Hextall selected O’Brien to help aide the Flyers with scoring, but more importantly speed.