Liam
O'Brien
C · UTA · Balanced · Below average
- PAL
- 23
- WAR
- -0.2
- Value
- 35
- PTS
- 4
2025-26№ 515 / 615
Liam O'Brien (Utah Mammoth) stats and profile: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats, WAR and PAL rating.
Liam O'Brien
#38CPlays: Winger · 3% of faceoffs
Utah Mammoth
HEIGHT : 185 cm · WEIGHT : 98 kg · SHOOTS : L
Born : July 28, 1994 · Halifax, Canada
Contract : $1,000,000 · 2024-25 → 2026-27 · Standard Contract (Extension) · UFA
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | Utah Mammoth | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| 2025-26 | Utah Mammoth | 38 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 43 |
| 2024-25 | Utah Hockey Club | 28 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 50 |
| 2023-24 | Arizona Coyotes | 75 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 153 |
| 2022-23 | Arizona Coyotes | 56 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 114 |
| 2021-22 | Arizona Coyotes | 39 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 106 |
| 2020-21 | Colorado Avalanche | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 40 |
| 2017-18 | Washington Capitals | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2016-17 | Washington Capitals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014-15 | Washington Capitals | 13 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 23 |
| NHL totals | 270 | 14 | 25 | 39 | 548 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Utah Mammoth | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Playoff totals | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Liam O'Brien: our analysis
2025-26 season: 38 GP, 3 G, 1 A, 4 PTS, -6 +/-, 9:09 TOI. WAR -0.2 (515th of 615) · PAL 23, below average.
In 2025-26, Liam O'Brien, 32, posts a PAL Rating of 23 out of 100 (below average), and his WAR of -0.2 ranks 515th among 615 regulars, in the bottom quarter.
On the other hand, offense (12, among the weakest in the league) and penalty kill (28, below average) hold him back.
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), his biggest contribution: EV defense (+0.3); his biggest cost: finishing (-1.7).
A slight dip from 2024-25, when his PAL was 26; his WAR, though, went from -0.9 to -0.2.
Contract-wise, his Value score of 35 (poor return) weighs his output against what he costs: 50 is what that salary should buy.
Liam O'Brien's story
Taken tenth overall in the 2010 QMJHL draft by Rimouski, Liam O'Brien made an early impression when he scored in only his second major junior game. Born in Halifax, he scored and developed with Rimouski before being traded in 2011 to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies for draft picks, a move that kept him on the physical track he would follow into the professional ranks.
After going unselected in the NHL Entry Draft, O'Brien earned a camp invite from the Washington Capitals in 2014 and converted it into a three-year entry-level contract on 6 October 2014. He debuted in the NHL three days later against the Montreal Canadiens and was involved in his first NHL fight in that game, an early sign of the on-ice role he would occupy.
He spent several seasons within the Capitals organization, including the bulk of his time with their AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. In June 2019 he agreed to another one-year, two-way deal within the Capitals system, and was subsequently waived and loaned to Hershey. The pandemic-delayed season led him to sign an AHL deal with the Colorado Eagles on 27 November 2020; strong play there earned him an NHL contract with the Colorado Avalanche for the remainder of the 2020–21 season, where he returned to NHL action in April and recorded a multi-point game with two assists.
O'Brien joined the Arizona Coyotes as a free agent on 28 July 2021, posting career highs in several categories during his first year with the club and scoring his first NHL goal since 2014–15 on 25 October 2021. He signed a two-year extension with Arizona on 6 March 2022. When the Coyotes franchise was suspended and assets moved to the expansion Utah Hockey Club, he became a member of the Utah team and subsequently agreed to a three-year extension that will keep him there; Utah fans have given him the nickname “Spicy Tuna.”
His game is defined by physicality and a fourth-line, enforcer-style presence: frequent penalty minutes, willingness to fight and a role focused on checking and protecting teammates. Early on, he also gained international experience when he was named to compete at the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge at age 16.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 8:10
- PP TOI/GP
- 0:00
- SH TOI/GP
- 0:00
- Pts/GP
- 0.00
- EV points
- 0
- Hits
- 19
- Blocks
- 5
- Takeaways
- 0
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 55.5 %
- Off. zone starts
- 18.8 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
2026-27 projection
Projected points
3between 0 and 13 (80% range)
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 2
- Games
- 37
So far: 0 pts in 5 games. The team has played 18 of 84 games. Projected pace: 0.11 pts per game (last season: 0.11).
The projection follows last season's pace. Tested on 2,265 player seasons (2022-23 to 2025-26): average miss of 9 points over 82 games; for players at 0.9 points per game and up, it ran 5 points high on average.
Trend
Stable
- Points per game: 0.19 in 23-24, 0.11 in 25-26
- PAL Rating: 26 → 23
Outlook, age included
↘ Slight declineAge 32: the age when production usually declines
This is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, trades or role changes; one player in five finishes outside the range.
Player ratings, 2025-26
All ratings →Fourteen ratings from 0 to 100 drawn from data, never by hand: 75 = established NHL player, 95+ = elite.
OV · OverallConfidence 66 %
55
Replacement or prospect
- SK
- Skating
- 70
- Confidence 73 %
- ST
- Strength
- 87
- Confidence 71 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 40
- Confidence 80 %
- DU
- Durability
- 58
- Confidence 77 %
- CK
- Checking
- 96
- Confidence 71 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 96
- Confidence 55 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 51
- Confidence 71 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- —
- PA
- Passing
- 57
- Confidence 66 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 66
- Confidence 66 %
- DF
- Defense
- 80
- Confidence 62 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 76
- Confidence 0 %
- EX
- Experience
- 66
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating70
- Top speed (35 %)35.6 · 67
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)5.974 · 76
- Distance /60 (20 %)16.2 · 70
- Speed consistency (15 %)35.3 · 73
ST — Strength87
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)5.025 · 82
- Body mass (50 %)0.666 · 83
EN — Endurance40
- Ice time per game (45 %)11.3 · 46
- Total ice time (20 %)343 · 35
- Shift length (15 %)40.8 · 53
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)9.996 · 47
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)0.967 · 46
DU — Durability58
- Share of games played (100 %)0.673 · 58
CK — Checking96
- Hits /60 (70 %)13.6 · 96
- Lowest seasonal rate (20 %)15.5 · 97
- Season volume (10 %)4.754 · 82
FG — Fighting96
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)3.268 · 96
DI — Discipline51
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)-0.039 · 52
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)0.973 · 58
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.741 · 74
PA — Passing57
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)0.515 · 64
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.296 · 53
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)-0.068 · 61
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)4.754 · 80
- Assist consistency (10 %)0.257 · 60
SC — Scoring66
- Goals /60 (25 %)0.593 · 62
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.771 · 74
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)-0.733 · 64
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)1.009 · 63
- xG per shot (10 %)0.081 · 69
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)13 · 79
DF — Defense80
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)0.067 · 81
- Relative xG against (20 %)-0.084 · 77
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.597 · 76
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)0.015 · 82
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)-1.351 · 75
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)57.3 · 78
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)3.16 · 83
PS — Penalty shot76
- Shootouts (60 %)32.7 · 76
- Penalty shots (40 %)26.7 · 76
EX — Experience66
- Career regular-season games (65 %)79
- Career playoff games (25 %)26
- NHL seasons (10 %)87
OV — Overall55
- SC · Scoring (20 %)66
- PA · Passing (20 %)57
- DF · Defense (20 %)80
- SK · Skating (12 %)70
- EN · Endurance (8 %)40
- DI · Discipline (5 %)51
- ST · Strength (3 %)87
- CK · Checking (2 %)96
| Season | OV | SK | SC | DF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 55 | 70 | 66 | 80 |
| 2024-25 | 56 | 66 | 63 | 81 |
| 2023-24 | 57 | 67 | 54 | 83 |
| 2022-23 | 52 | 67 | 50 | 80 |
The bars show confidence (sample size), not player quality. — : not enough data, not a zero. Engine version 1.0.
WAR and PAL ratings, 2025-26
How we rate →PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against players at the same position (50 = average player), starting from the player's strength, offensive or defensive. Value Rating compares that performance with what the player costs: 50 means paid what the play is worth.
WAR
-0.2
wins above replacement
515 of 615
PAL Rating
23/ 100
Performance · Below average
357 of 476 at the position
Value Rating
35/ 100
Poor return
1.00 M$ · expected PAL 37
ProfileBalancedNeither end dominates
- Offense
- 21
- Defense
- 43
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 12
- Creation
- 44
- Shooting
- 29
- Possession
- 33
- Defense
- 57
- Discipline
- 38
- Power play
- 40
- Penalty kill
- 28
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
| Season | Team | WAR | PAL | Value | Cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | UTA | -0.2 | 23 | 35 | 1.00 M$ |
| 2024-25 | UTA | -0.9 | 26 | 40 | 1.00 M$ |
| 2023-24 | ARI | -0.4 | 25 | 41 | 0.78 M$ |
| 2022-23 | ARI | -0.2 | 10 | 19 | 0.78 M$ |
Hockey IQ, 2025-26
Rankings and method →The quality of the player's decisions with and against the puck at 5-on-5, against regulars at the same position (50 = average). PAL measures output; IQ measures how the player plays.
Overall IQ
18/ 100
Low
better than 18% of forwards, offense and defense combined
Offensive IQ
28/ 100
Below average
passing, shots, puck
Defensive IQ
23/ 100
Below average
takeaways, discipline, own zone
Overall IQ isn't an average of the two scores: it's the player's rank with offense and defense combined, 346 of 424 forwards.
See full detailsHide details
Offense
- Playmaking passes
- 12
- Shot selection
- 27
- Penalties drawn
- 38
- Puck management
- 92
Defense
- Takeaways
- 2
- Discipline
- 36
- Safe zone exits
- 67
Percentiles: 80 means better than 80% of regulars at the same position. Play without the puck (positioning, coverage) isn't measured: the NHL doesn't publish that data.
| Season | Team | IQ | Off. | Def. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | UTA | 18 | 28 | 23 |
| 2024-25 | UTA | 32 | 71 | 17 |
| 2023-24 | ARI | 2 | 38 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | ARI | 0 | 24 | 0 |
WAR, 2025-26
How it's calculated →Wins added to the team, compared with a replacement-level player called up from the AHL.
-0.2
wins above replacement
-0.6 to 0.5 — 90% interval
515 of 615 forwards
-1.1 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- -0.6
- EV defense
- +0.3
- Power play
- 0.0
- Penalty kill
- 0.0
- Shooting
- -1.7
- Penalties
- 0.0
- Average → replacement
- +0.9
In goals.
| Season | Team | GP | WAR | 90% interval | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | UTA | 38 | -0.2 | -0.6 to 0.5 | 515/615 |
| 2024-25 | UTA | 27 | -0.9 | -1.2 to -0.6 | 584/596 |
| 2023-24 | ARI | 75 | -0.4 | -0.9 to 0.1 | 546/608 |
| 2022-23 | ARI | 56 | -0.2 | -0.8 to 0.4 | 508/617 |
Player tracking (NHL EDGE)
League EDGE leaderboards →Speed, shot power, distance covered, time by zone: measured by chips in the puck and shoulder pads. 90th percentile = better than 90% of players.
- Hardest shot
- 106.5 km/h5th percentileleague avg. 130.1 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 33.4 km/h8th percentileleague avg. 35.2 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 26th percentileleague avg. 21
- Offensive zone time
- 43.0 %62nd percentileleague avg. 43.1 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 11.1 km12th percentileleague avg. 52.2 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 2.96 km9th percentileleague avg. 4.52 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 43.0 %83rd percentileleague avg. 42.4 %
- Neutral zone time
- 19.0 %88th percentileleague avg. 16.8 %
- Defensive zone time
- 38.0 %69th percentileleague avg. 40.1 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 517th percentile | 024th percentile | 0.0 %3rd percentile |
| High danger | 221st percentile | 034th percentile | 0.0 %10th percentile |
| Mid range | 119th percentile | 054th percentile | 0.0 %32nd percentile |
| Long range | 031st percentile | 092nd percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
Shots on goal by zone
2026-2027 regular season. Measured by puck and player tracking chips; the percentile ranks the player within the league.
Game log, 2026-27
OTT
MTL
TOR
PHI
MINLiam O'Brien: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Liam O'Brien have in 2026-27?
Liam O'Brien has 0 goals and 0 points (0 assists) in 5 games in 2026-27.
How old is Liam O'Brien?
Liam O'Brien is 32 years old: he was born on July 29, 1994.
How tall is Liam O'Brien, and how much does he weigh?
Liam O'Brien is 6'1" (185 cm) and weighs 216 lb (98 kg).
Where is Liam O'Brien from?
Canada: Liam O'Brien was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
What team does Liam O'Brien play for?
Liam O'Brien plays for the Utah Mammoth in the NHL, at C, wearing number 38.
Is Liam O'Brien injured?
No: Liam O'Brien is not on the latest NHL injury report. This answer is updated throughout the season.
How good is Liam O'Brien?
Liam O'Brien produced -0.2 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2025-26, 515th of 615 players at his position in the NHL. His PAL rating is 23 out of 100: below average for his position.
How much does Liam O'Brien make?
Liam O'Brien earns $1.0M for the 2025-26 season. His Value Rating is 35 out of 100 (poor return): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position.
When does Liam O'Brien's contract end?
Liam O'Brien's contract runs through the 2026-27 season; he will then be an unrestricted free agent.
Is Liam O'Brien overpaid?
Yes, his output falls short of what his salary should buy. His Value rating is 35 out of 100 (poor return), where 50 is the output expected for his salary, compared with players at his position.
Is Liam O'Brien a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 515th of 615 players at his position in the NHL in 2025-26. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
Is Liam O'Brien getting better?
No, he is slipping: his PAL rating went from 26 in 2024-25 to 23 in 2025-26 (out of 100, 50 = average player at his position).
How has Liam O'Brien played lately?
Over his last 5 games, Liam O'Brien has 0 points (0 goals, 0 assists).
What are Liam O'Brien's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Liam O'Brien has 270 games, 14 goals, 25 assists and 39 points. His best season: 2023-24, with 14 points in 75 games.
How does Liam O'Brien perform in the playoffs?
In the playoffs, Liam O'Brien has 3 games and 1 point in his career. His pace (0.33 points per game) is higher than his regular-season pace (0.14).
Which player is most similar to Liam O'Brien?
Matt Rempe: he is the player at his position whose PAL profile (the 0-to-100 dimensions) is closest to his in 2025-26.
Matt Rempe's page →Is Liam O'Brien a good fantasy pick?
Probably not, except in deep leagues: our projection has him at 3 points in 2026-27, or 0.08 points per game.
What is Liam O'Brien's nationality?
Liam O'Brien is Canadian. Internationally: Selected to compete at the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge as a 16-year-old.
What is Liam O'Brien's nickname?
He is nicknamed "Spicy Tuna" (nickname given by Utah fans).
Where did Liam O'Brien play before turning pro?
Drafted in the first round, 10th overall, by the Rimouski Océanic in the 2010 QMJHL draft; played for Rimouski until 2011, then was traded to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
How many points is Liam O'Brien projected to score in 2026-27?
Our projection has him at 3 points in 37 games in 2026-27 (0 to 13 points, 80% interval), based on his recent seasons, age and role.
See also: his Utah Mammoth teammates
Full roster →
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)