BEARS CLAIM FORWARD JIM O'BRIEN OFF OF AHL WAIVERS

December 26, 2014

HERSHEY, Pa. – The Hershey Bears announced today that the club has claimed forward Jim O’Brien off of AHL waivers.  The announcement was made by Bears president/general manager Doug Yingst.

O’Brien, 25, most recently has been playing with Novokuznetsk Metallurg of the KHL.  In 22 games, O’Brien has posted 12 points (two goals, 10 assists).

The 6-2, 200-pound native of Maplewood, Minnesota has spent his entire professional career within the Ottawa Senators organization.  In 2012-13, O’Brien recorded 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists), 46 penalty minutes and a plus-nine efficiency rating with the AHL’s Binghamton Senators.  He earned NHL time during his last three years with the club, and in 2012-13 posted a career-best five goals in 29 games.  O’Brien has 12 points (eight goals, four assists) in 63 games with Ottawa.

O’Brien’s most successful season came in 2010-11.  He finished second on the AHL Senators in scoring with 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists), and ranked second in goal production.  His plus-17 rating also ranked second among his teammates.  He went on to help lead the B-Sens to the 2011 Calder Cup championship, posting three goals and four assists in the team’s 23-game run to their first league title.
Prior to turning pro, O’Brien played two seasons with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, racking up 117 points (48 goals, 69 assists) in 113 regular-season games.  He played one year with the University of Minnesota (WCHA), posting seven goals and eight assists in 43 games.  O’Brien represented the United States at the 2009 World Junior Hockey Championship, and won a silver medal at the World U-18 Championship in 2006-07.

O’Brien was originally selected by Ottawa in the first round (29th overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

The Bears host the Lehigh Valley Phantoms tonight at 7:00 PM and the Binghamton Senators tomorrow, December 27 at 7:00 PM.  Tickets are available at the GIANT Center box office, by calling (717)508-BEAR or online at TicketMaster.com.