With red hair, fists of fury, and a name picked out of an Irish name-generator, Liam O’Brien was always a player in the Washington Capitals system that seemed to deserve a spot on the team’s fourth line but rarely cracked the lineup, even in his occasional promotions.
While he did famously make the team before he was expected to, scoring his first NHL goal along the way and winning fans over with his Movember antics, O’Brien instead became a staple of Hershey, playing in 370 games, scoring 137 points, and collecting 638 penalty minutes.
He was loved in Chocolatetown, just like other players who spent a good portion of their career with the team despite dreams of a regular spot in the NHL.