Cole James O'Hara (born June 20, 2002) is a Canadian professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...

player for the

Milwaukee Admirals The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team based in Milwaukee. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Nashville Predators. They play their homes games at the UW–Milwaukee Panther ...

of the

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...

(AHL) as a prospect for the

Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...

of the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

(NHL). He played

college ice hockey College ice hockey is played principally in the United States and Canada, though leagues exist outside North America. In the United States, competitive "college hockey" refers to ice hockey played between colleges and universities within the go ...

at UMass. He was drafted 114th overall by the Predators in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Junior

O'Hara played two seasons for the

Tri-City Storm The Tri-City Storm is a Tier I junior ice hockey team based in Kearney, Nebraska, that plays in the Western Conference of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Its name refers to the three central Nebraskan cities of Kearney, Hastings, and ...

. During the 2020–21 season, he recorded 11 goals and 17 assists in 53 games. During the 2021–22 season, he recorded 25 goals and 48 assists in 58 games.

College

O'Hara began his collegiate career for UMass during the 2022–23 season. During his freshman year he recorded four goals and 13 assists in 32 games. During the 2023–24 season, in his sophomore year, he recorded seven goals and 11 assists in 37 games. During the 2024–25 season, in his junior year, he led his team in scoring with 22 goals and 29 assists in 40 games. His 51 points ranked tied for sixth among all NCAA players, while his 29 assists tied for the seventh-most in a single season in program history. He also tied James Marcou's program record for most points in a season with 51. On January 18, 2025, in a game against Merrimack, he recorded his first career

hat-trick A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three. Origin The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three Wick ...

, and finished the game with a career-high tying four points. During conference play he recorded 13 goals and 16 assists in 24 games. He ranked in the top-five in points (tied fifth), goals (fifth), and assists (fourth). He scored at least a point in 31 of his 40 games, and posted a program-record 13-game point streak from January 18, 2025 to March 7, 2025. Following the season he was named to the All-Hockey East First Team, a New England Men's Division I All-Star, and a finalist for the Hockey East Player of the Year. He finished his collegiate career at UMass with 33 goals and 53 assists in 109 games.

Professional

On April 2, 2025, O'Hara signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the

, beginning during the 2025–26 season. He was assigned to the Predators' AHL affiliate, the

, for the remainder of the 2024–25 season.

Personal life

O'Hara was born to Mike and Betty O'Hara, and has two siblings, Jake and Megan.

Career statistics

Awards and honors

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:OHara, Cole 2002 births Living people AHCA Division I men's ice hockey All-Americans Ice hockey people from Richmond Hill, Ontario UMass Minutemen ice hockey players Milwaukee Admirals players Nashville Predators draft picks Tri-City Storm players 21st-century Canadian sportsmen