Jake O’Brien is a right-shot centre the Flames should target in the draft

A top-six right-shot centre is a luxury in the National Hockey League.

There is one such player, Jake O’Brien, who could be available when the Calgary Flames make their first pick on Jun. 27, granted, they may have to move up from their 18th overall pick.

Let’s get to know the 17-year-old right-shot centre.

Scouting report

Born in Toronto, Ontario on Jun. 16, 2007, O’Brien is a right-shot centre that stands 6’2”, 172 lbs. He’s played for the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League the past two seasons.

Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff ranks O’Brien as his eighth-best draft-eligible, having this to say about the 17-year-old:

“O’Brien has the skills and the smarts to be a very impressive center in the NHL. His off-puck play is great, and he’s always out-thinking his opponents. O’Brien just fell short of 100 points with 98, but he only continued to get better as the season wore on. He’s never going to blow you away with his pure skill, but his work ethic and ability to be effective in all three zones will allow him to have a solid career. I wouldn’t be surprised to see O’Brien go even higher in the draft.”

Sportsnet’s Jason Bukala ranks O’Brien as his 11th-best draft prospect, having this to say about the right-shot centre:

“O’Brien is a crafty playmaker. He reads how plays are developing in the offensive zone and has a knack for finding opportunities in the deep slot and around the net. He works the weak side flank effectively on the power play and has added more of a defensive dimension to his overall game. He produced 32G-66A for the Bulldogs in the regular season and averaged over 20 minutes of ice time.

O’Brien’s skating mechanics are sound, but he needs time to add more strength to his frame, which should result in more separation in open ice and the ability to track the full 200 feet even more effectively.”

Lastly, Dobber Prospects’ Whittaker Heart had this to say about O’Brien in a January scouting report:

“Jake O’Brien has been a steady climber this season thanks to his terrific production with

Brantford and, most recently, a great showing at the OHL Top Prospects Game. He’s a smooth skater with excellent hockey sense and playmaking ability from the middle of the ice. Standing at 6-2 170 lbs, O’Brien has substantial progress to make physically, which will only elevate his toolbox. He is matching his outstanding junior rookie season by scoring well above a point per game pace so far with the Bulldogs. O’Brien projects as a potential top 9 playmaking centre with lots of room in his frame to grow.”

The numbers

O’Brien made his Ontario Hockey League debut in 2023-24 with the Brantford Bulldogs, scoring 13 goals and 64 points in 61 games, great numbers for a 16-year-old in one of the best junior leagues in the world. In the post-season, O’Brien scored a goal and five points in six games.

He only got better in his age-17 season, as the right-shot centre scored 32 goals and 98 points in 66 games. A natural playmaker, O’Brien’s 66 assists ranked seventh in the Ontario Hockey League, below Flame prospects Henry Mews and Zayne Parekh.

The Bulldogs found more success in the 2025 post-season, playing 11 games en route to a second-round exit. O’Brien scored three goals and 11 points.

Availability and fit

Like Michael Misa, the Flames will likely need to trade up if they wish to select O’Brien. However, this one seems a lot more realistic as O’Brien seems to be around the 10th overall pick range, with Daily Faceoff’s ranking being his highest. 

That said, teams around that pick may be more willing to move it than a team in the top three. The Detroit Red Wings (13th), the New York Rangers (12th), the Buffalo Sabres (9th), and the Seattle Kraken (8th) may be willing to deal those picks for NHL-ready prospects, a young regular, or top-four defencemen (the Red Wings need a right-shot defenceman).

As for his fit, the Flames need centre prospects. Add in the fact that O’Brien shoots right, and he’s the perfect prospect for the Flames’ prospect pool.