Newfoundland's O'Brien named Inglasco/ECHL Player of the Week

Zach O’Brien of the Newfoundland Growlers is the Inglasco ECHL Player of the Week for Jan. 2-8. It is the second time in his career that he has received the weekly honor. O’Brien scored four goals and added five assists for nine points in three games against Trois-Rivières last week. The 30-year-old scored two goals and added an assist in a 5-3 loss on Friday, scored a goal and dished out three assists in a 7-3 win on Saturday and had a goal and an assist in a 6-3 victory on Sunday. Under contract to Toronto of the American Hockey League, O’Brien leads the ECHL with 37 assists and 52 points in 29 games this season. He has added two points (1g-1a) in two games with the Marlies. A native of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, O’Brien has totaled 287 points (112g-175a) in 225 career ECHL games with Newfoundland, Wichita and Ontario. He is a two-time recipient of the ECHL Sportsmanship Award (2019 and 2022) and received the June M. Kelly Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award after the Growlers captured the Kelly Cup title in 2019. O’Brien has added 109 points (41g-68a) in 233 career AHL games. Prior to turning pro, O’Brien posted 168 points (79g-89a) in 126 career games with Rouyn-Noranda and Acadie-Bathurst of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. On behalf of Zach O’Brien, a case of pucks will be donated to a Newfoundland youth hockey organization by Inglasco, the exclusive puck supplier of the ECHL. Since beginning its sponsorship of the award in 2000-01, Inglasco has donated more than 47,000 pucks to youth hockey organizations in ECHL cities. Runners-Up: Alex Ierullo, Greenville (3 gp, 2g, 5a, 9 pts.) and Brayden Watts, Wichita (4 gp, 1g, 8a, 9 pts.). Also Nominated: Joe Pendenza (Florida), Andrew Perrott (Indy), Jacob Panetta (Jacksonville), Hugo Roy (Kansas City), Max Coatta (Rapid City), Max Newton (Reading), Bear Hughes (South Carolina), Gordie Green (Toledo) and Brooklyn Kalmikov (Wheeling).