Next Level and Nearby 

When the Kraken hired Zac Dalpe to be a player development consultant this summer, the decision was more about the ex-NHLer’s pro hockey journey and less about the 168 regular-season and 13 games in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs in which he appeared. It most definitely wasn’t because Dalpe and his family live 25 minutes from the home arena where Seattle’s 2025 first-round draft choice Jake O’Brien plays for the Ontario Hockey League Brantford Bulldogs. But that proximity has worked out quite effectively, thank you.

“We connect regularly,” said Dalpe this week. “It’s a combination of texts, phone calls, or in-person after his games. We see each other a lot. I’ve been on the ice with him as well, working on a few things [one recent session focused on faceoffs].”

What Dalpe sees in his first year on the job – he just retired from playing this past summer – is a No. 8 overall draft pick whose NHL potential is rooted in “two intangibles that will make him really good at the next level.”

“His hockey IQ and his vision on the ice,” said Dalpe. “He’s a very cerebral hockey player. He thinks the game very well and does a great job of seeing seams and lanes on the ice.”

Finding those seams and lanes is a primary reason why O’Brien leads the OHL in assists with 36 in just 28 games, adding 11 goals for a total of 47 points, which places him second in scoring, just one point off the scoring lead.

“Jake's had a great season so far,” said Cory Murphy, the Kraken’s director of player development. “He came back from [Kraken] training camp and has really shown his playmaking, his ability to generate offense, and, most of all, make his teammates better. Brantford is a good team [second overall in the Eastern Conference] with big, big plans for the second half as Jake handles the leadership role as captain [at age 18].”

Studying Matty Beniers, Learning Pro Habits

Murphy said training camp helped O’Brien discover what he must do to break into the Kraken lineup in the seasons ahead. He learned from example and has brought those lessons to focusing on his “200-foot game” to be as detailed about defending/winning back pucks as he clearly already is about creating scoring chances.

“He looked at guys like Matty Beniers, how they approach every day with the work habits and the commitment to the details,” said Murphy. “He knows how important that is. Jake’s become a very responsible two-way player to go along with his playmaking and scoring. I think you see that with his team in Brantford. Yes, he's producing. Yes, he's driving offense. But he's also committed on the defensive side of the puck.”

Patience and Poise with the Puck

Working closely with Dalpe is another plus for O’Brien’s development. For his part, Dalpe sees positives on and off the ice for O’Brien’s growth with Brantford this season. He has studied the Brantford organization and sees many pluses.

“Jake has elite patience with the puck,” said Dalpe. “His poise and IQ are next level already. That is a huge component of his abilities. Plus, he always wants to work on his skills.”

Dalpe said O’Brien is proving to be a solid leader. Dalpe’s regular visits to Brantford leave him admiring the resources available for the 18-year-old first-rounder to improve and heighten his leadership.

Supported By Staff, Teammates

“He has a great support staff in Brantford, plus captains from other teams that have been traded there,” said Dalpe. “He’s an important piece to that team in many ways. It’s a good thing for him to learn [from those other captains] and grow in the role.”

Late last week, O’Brien was one of the last players cut from the Team Canada roster for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship that starts Dec. 26 in Minnesota. As an 18-year-old, O’Brien was facing steep competition with a bevy of 19-year-olds competing for spots. Both Dalpe and Murphy are confident the Kraken prospect will turn it into a reason to play even smarter for Brantford and hone his leadership skills as his OHL club is among the favorites in the Eastern Conference playoffs this spring. For context, there are hundreds of current NHL players who never played in World Juniors for their nations or were even invited to the final roster round.

O’Brien started this season, giving notice of his impact on winning games. He was named OHL Player of the Month for a torrid October in which he amassed seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points in 12 games. He didn’t slow down with the calendar changing to November and December. He is on a pace that projects career highs in assists (88) and total points (106).