Latest news with #KristynaKaltounkova
Yahoo
27-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Casey O'Brien Embraces New York Spotlight After PWHL Draft
The New York Sirens' first-round draft pick, Casey O'Brien, has been busy since the PWHL Draft. She took a 'media tour' across New York, attending sporting events, marching in the NYC Pride Parade, inspiring young hockey players, and more. A New York native, O'Brien wasn't expecting to be selected by her hometown team. The Sirens held the first overall pick in the draft and selected Kristýna Kaltounková. The second pick went to Boston, and the third to Toronto. But when O'Brien heard that New York had traded up for the third overall pick, she said, 'My whole family kind of looked at each other like, 'Oh my god, wait. Could they pick me?' Indeed, the Sirens selected O'Brien with the third pick in a trade that sent Ella Shelton to the Toronto Sceptres. While the moment was emotional, O'Brien had little time to process it. Less than 24 hours later, she was on a flight to New York. The draft took place on Tuesday, June 24, in Ottawa, Canada. By Thursday morning, O'Brien had woken up in New York City and was on her way to her first interview as a New York Siren. 'Waking up, I was like, I can't believe that this is real, that this is my life now,' O'Brien told The Hockey News. 'And how many different organizations and people wanted to talk about women's hockey and the Sirens was so special to me. It was such a whirlwind, I needed a few days after that whole week to fully process what just happened.' Over the next week, O'Brien attended a wide range of events and met people from all over. She met John Legend on The Morning Show, visited NHL headquarters, appeared on numerous talk shows, and more. Still adjusting to her new title as a professional athlete, O'Brien also attended a Yankees game (MLB) and a New York Red Bulls match (MLS). For her, the most surreal part was revisiting places she had gone as a child. 'The last time I had been to Yankee Stadium, I think, was 2009 for the World Series. And going back there, I texted my family, and they sent me pictures from when I was there as a kid,' O'Brien said. 'It just doesn't feel real.' She also attended the NYC Pride Parade for the first time. 'It was basically a giant party, and it was just so cool. You could feel the love in the air. I know a big part of the PWHL fan base and community is part of the LGBTQ+ community, so I know how much that means to our sport and our fans,' she continued.'To be part of something like that—especially partnering with the NHL—was so special, and I had the best time.' O'Brien's final stop on her New York media week was a visit to the Prudential Center, home of the Sirens and New Jersey Devils, where she met with players from the Jersey Girls Hockey Club. According to the Jersey Girls Hockey Club is 'a cross-ice recreation league for novice-level girls ages 5–12 who have graduated from a New Jersey Devils Learn to Play program.' The club's mission is to give young female players the resources to grow in the sport—and, ideally, become professional players themselves. O'Brien spent time with the girls, sharing stories and answering questions. 'It was super cool to meet them all and spend some time with them, because, you know, I kind of saw myself in them,' O'Brien said. 'A lot of them had questions about what the next steps are in pursuing their passion in hockey as well.' The program, launched after the 2024 Stadium Series, has grown over the past two years. Girls from across New Jersey, New York, and surrounding areas come together to play at the Prudential Center. Traveling outside the city to play hockey is something O'Brien is all too familiar with. Growing up in New York City, she often had to go to New Jersey for ice time. 'We'd drive literally right after school, and we'd wait three hours in the parking lot just so we could miss the traffic,' she told The Hockey News. 'Then we'd practice, and my family would drive back.' For O'Brien, traveling to New Jersey was one of the only ways to pursue hockey seriously. Today, the New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center continue to expand programs for young girls in the game—so players like O'Brien can have a place to play closer to home. The New York Sirens have not yet released their 2025–26 schedule, but fans can expect to see Casey O'Brien taking the ice at the Prudential Center, proudly representing girls across the region who love the game. 'Being able to come back and hopefully make an impact on the ice, and probably more importantly, off the ice, and help grow the youth game in New York and New Jersey, it's so special to me. It means everything.' Photo Credit: © Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Recruiting Class: Colgate Adding U-18 National Team Talent
Colgate now sits among a very select group to have a PWHL first overall pick from their program in Kristyna Kaltounkova. They are the only program to have had players picked first, and second, as Danielle Serdachny was the PWHL's second overall pick in 2024. The school also saw goaltender Hannah Murphy picked early in the PWHL Draft, and veteran Neena Brick sign in Europe. They joined a growing group of Colgate alumni in the pros including 2024 PWHL picks Sydney Bard, Allyson Simpson, Dara Grieg, Kayle Osborne, and Serdachny.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bold Trade Brings Casey O'Brien Home To New York
Casey O'Brien has dreamed of playing professional hockey since she was little. And that dream started in New York City learning to play in Manhattan at Chelsea Piers. "It's amazing, I grew up skating in Chelsea Piers," O'Brien said on CBS Mornings. "New York is my roots, it's the rink that built me. So to be able to come back here and give back to the community and try to built the youth game in New York is so special and so important." Advertisement O'Brien moved to Boston around age 10, but still considers New York home. After the Sirens selected Kristyna Kaltounkova first overall, and Boston chose Haley Winn second, O'Brien thought the chances of playing in either of her home towns was gone. That was, however, until New York general manager Pascal Daoust pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade sending defender Ella Shelton to the Toronto Sceptres for the third overall pick and 27th overall pick. With that third choice, New York snagged O'Brien, who led the NCAA in scoring this season and was named the NCAA's top player winning the Patty Kazmaier Award with the University of Wisconsin. "It's so special, the fact that they traded up for me means even more," said O'Brien following her seelection. "I grew up in New York City so it's a little bit like coming home. I've seen how New York can rally behind its sports teams, and so I'm really excited to be a part of that and get to New York and meet the fans and meet my teammates." Advertisement Alongside Kaltounkova, PWHL Rookie of the Year Sarah Fillier, a strong defensive corps, and other young players including 2025 draft pick and O'Brien's former Wisconsin linemate Makenna Webster, New York looks like an exciting young team. After two straight seasons finishing at the bottom of the standings, New York will look to climb up the ranks of the PWHL. If they don't, their team will look even more dynamic following a stacked 2026 draft, but O'Brien, a player used to winning at Wisconsin, should go a long way toward making the New York Sirens a better team on and off the ice.
Reuters
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Sirens select Colgate F Kristyna Kaltounkova No. 1 in PWHL draft
June 25 - After spending their No. 1 overall pick in the PWHL draft on Colgate forward Kristyna Kaltounkova, the New York Sirens traded up to acquire the No. 3 pick and selected Wisconsin center Casey O'Brien on Tuesday. With the Sirens' roster depleted by the expansion draft, general manager Pascal Daoust worked out a deal with the Toronto Sceptres to bolster the offense with standout scorers. In the swap, Daoust sent top defenseman Ella Shelton to Toronto for its first- and fourth-round picks (No. 27). The Sirens lost two of their top three scorers, Alex Carpenter and Jessie Eldridge, along with starting goaltender Corinne Schroeder to Seattle in the expansion draft and signing process earlier in June. New York scored a league-low 71 goals, with Carpenter and Eldridge combining for 20. The Sirens held the No. 1 pick in last year's draft as well, taking forward Sarah Fillier, who tied for the PWHL points lead last season with 29. A native of the Czech Republic, Kaltounkova is the first European-born player to go No. 1 in the PWHL draft. She's quite familiar with Sirens coach Greg Fargo, who was her coach at Colgate, where she was the school's all-time leading goal scorer (111) and second all-time in points (223). "Watching who's on the roster, I'm just really excited to get started," Kaltounkova said. "I'm happy to jump in and help out as much as I can and make an impact immediately." O'Brien led the country with 88 points (26 goals, 62 assists), won the Patty Kazmaier Award and helped lead the Badgers to a national championship. With the No. 2 pick, the Boston Fleet chose Haley Winn, who saw fellow Clarkson defenseman Nicole Gosling go to the Montreal Victoire with the No. 4 selection. The Nos. 5 and 6 selections were also defensemen, as the Ottawa Charge tabbed Cornell's Rory Guilday and the Minnesota Frost drafted Kendall Cooper from Quinnipiac. Rounding out the first round of the six-round draft, Vancouver took forward Michelle Karvinen from Frolunda HC in Sweden at No. 7, followed by Seattle's selection of Ohio State forward Jenna Buglioni at No. 8. --Field Level Media
New York Post
25-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Sirens bolster roster with Kristyna Kaltounkova, Casey O'Brien picks in PWHL draft
The Sirens used the first round of the PWHL draft on Tuesday night to restock their offensive cupboard, taking Colgate star Kristyna Kaltounkova with the No. 1 pick and trading up to take Wisconsin forward Casey O'Brien with the No. 3 selection. The Sirens lost star forwards Alex Carpenter and Jessie Eldridge after leaving the two unprotected in the exclusive signing window and the expansion draft, but add two young players who give them a scoring boost, including one who comes with three national championships to her name. Kaltounkova, a Czechia native, finished in the top 10 in goal scoring in the nation this past season with Colgate and scored a record 111 goals during her time with the program. Advertisement Kristyna Kaltounkova (center) from Vlasim, Czechia, poses for a photo after the New York Sirens selected the forward during the first round of the PWHL draft in Ottawa, Ontario on June 24, 2025. AP O'Brien led the country with 88 points and 62 assists, while winning the award as the top women's college hockey player in the United States. 'It doesn't matter what role I play, I'm just happy to jump in and help as much as I can. Make an impact immediately,' Kaltounkova said moments after being drafted. Advertisement The Sirens traded defender Ella Shelton for the Nos. 3 and 27 picks in Tuesday's draft. 'I'm super honored that New York traded up for me. It's pretty special and this just caps off an amazing year,' O'Brien said. The Sirens made nine selections in total during Tuesday's draft. USA's Britta Curl (bottom) collides with Kristyna Kaltounkova during the United States' win over the Czech Republic in their semifinal match at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships on April 19, 2025. AP Advertisement They took forward Anne Cherkowski from Clarkson University in the second round, Ohio State forward Makenna Webster in the third, defender Dayle Ross from St. Cloud State University with the 25th overall pick, Buckeye forward Maddi Wheeler with the 27th overall pick and Boston University goaltender Callie Shanahan with the 28th overall pick, which the Sirens had acquired in a trade with Montreal. The Sirens also took Anna Bargman from Yale in the fifth round and Quinnipiac goaltender Kaley Doyle in the sixth round.
