Previous ranking: 6
2026-27 team: New York Sirens
O’Brien’s rookie season in the PWHL went exactly as many expected. The New York Sirens star recorded 22 (7 goals, 15 assists) points in 28 games. She led all rookies in points — and in points per game (.79), tying for second-highest by a rookie in PWHL history. She also led her team in assists and finished behind only Sarah Fillier in points for the Sirens. O’Brien’s outstanding first year made her a PWHL Rookie of the Year finalist alongside Nicole Gosling and Haley Winn. While she didn’t win the award, her contributions on the ice are irreplaceable for the Sirens, especially going forward.
The Sirens protected O’Brien in Phase 1 of the 2026 expansion by extending her a qualifying offer to protect her rights. After the turnover on the existing teams, New York came out with one of the most important pieces to their future success still on the roster. On Sept. 30, O’Brien re-signed with the Sirens and will be under contract with the team through the 2028-29 season.
Now that she’s locked in, her sophomore campaign will no doubt just as electric as her rookie season. O’Brien was the perfect complementary piece to Fillier and fellow rookie Kristýna Kaltounková, who both bring their own impressive offensive skill. We know from O’Brien’s five seasons at the University of Wisconsin that her ceiling is incredibly high. The Sirens are still the only inaugural PWHL team to not have qualified for the playoffs. But O’Brien will be a big part of helping her team finally get over that hump, whether this upcoming season or beyond.
The 2025 Patty Kazmaier Award winner was ranked at #6 on our T25U25 list last year and dropped just one spot this year. While her first PWHL season was one to remember, there is still much more she can accomplish. With the abundance of younger talent in women’s hockey, her ranking feels right. She remains one of the most dynamic, outstanding players in her age bracket but still has room to grow.
