It’s too bad that the NHL doesn’t give out an award for the best second-year player in the league each year. Or the most-improved player in the league.
This season, Flyers winger Joel Farabee would be near the top of the list in both categories.
-
Ep 59: Stanley Cup Final Preview; Game 1 Thoughts
by Full Press Coverage on June 4, 2023 at 1:43 am
Jim and Chris give their thoughts on the Stanley Cup Final between Vegas […]
Picking Up Points
Last year, Farabee had a solid rookie campaign. He put up 8 goals and 21 points in 52 games with Philadelphia while playing just five AHL games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
THAT'S SOME BEAUTIFUL HOCKEY pic.twitter.com/3xFKWdXilV
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) March 3, 2021
In Tuesday’s 5-2 Flyers loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Farabee was a bright spot. He scored both goals to reach 10 for the year in just 19 games — tied with the resurgent James van Riemsdyk for the team goal-scoring lead. And with nine assists to go along with those goals, the Syracuse, NY native who celebrated his 21st birthday last Thursday is producing at a point-a-game pace.
How impressive is that? Check out these comparables:
Joel Farabee is the 10th winger since 2000 to average a point per game at age-21 or younger @NHLFlyers pic.twitter.com/o0ssz453IA
— Hockey Reference (@hockey_ref) March 3, 2021
To put it another way — Farabee did not earn a single Calder Trophy top-five vote last year.
Keeping Pace With Calder Finalists
Here’s a look at how the top five vote-getters are faring so far this season. All are still doing well, but not showing the kind of incremental improvement that the Flyers are getting from Farabee.
- Cale Makar – Colorado – last season 50 points in 57 games (0.88 PPG); this season 14 points in 15 games (0.93 PPG); has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury
- Quinn Hughes – Vancouver – last season 53 points in 53 games (1.00 PPG); this season 22 points in 26 games (0.85 PPG); his minus-15 is second-worst in the league through Tuesday’s games
- Dominik Kubalik – Chicago – last season 30 goals and 46 points in 68 games (0.68 PPG); this season only 8 goals but 18 points in 23 games (0.78 PPG); at 25, he’s much further along his development curve than the other sophomores
- Adam Fox – NY Rangers – last season 42 points in 70 games (0.60 PPG); this season 12 points in 20 games (0.60 PPG); has also seen his ice time increase from 18:54 to 24:50 per game
- Elvis Merzlikins – Columbus – last season a 2.35 goals-against average, .923 save percentage and 5 shutouts in 33 games; this season a 2.81 goals-against average, .917 save percentage and 1 shutout in 9 games; has missed the last five games with an upper-body injury
So, is Farabee’s improvement for real?
Skills Over Size
Coming out of the U.S. National Team Development Program, Farabee was named captain of the U18 team in his draft year. He won a gold medal at the 2017 U18 championship, added a silver in 2018, and went on to pick up another silver at World Juniors in 2019, after he was drafted.
The NHL’s Central Scouting brain trust thought enough of his skating, hockey IQ, and leadership qualities to rank him 12th among North American skaters for the 2018 draft, despite being small by NHL standards. Farabee was listed at 6’0″ and 162 pounds on the 2018 final Central Scouting list, and that hasn’t changed much. The Flyers website shows him at 6’0″ and 164 pounds for this season.
The Flyers drafted Farabee with the 14th selection in 2018, the second first-round pick that then-general manager Ron Hextall acquired from the St. Louis Blues when he dealt away Brayden Schenn at the 2017 draft and subsequently snapped up Morgan Frost.
Philadelphia Roots
“When I came to the draft, I wanted to go 14 to Philly,” Farabee said. “I think that’s pretty cool that happened. I really liked their interviews, I talked to them a couple of times. My dad is actually from Philly, so I grew up watching the Flyers. It’s just awesome. I’m a really big Phillies fan. I don’t have any words for it right now. It’s really cool to be part of a great organization.”
From there, Farabee spent a season at Boston University. As a freshman, he led the Terriers with 36 points in 37 games and was named the top rookie in the entire NCAA.
The Flyers used their own 19th pick in 2018 on center Jay O’Brien. He has dealt with some injury issues but is tied for the team lead in scoring himself at B.U. this season.
“He’s a real attention-to-detail player,” said Hextall on draft day, just five months before he was let go by the Flyers. “He’s got speed, he’s got skill, he can score, he’s a good player and he has size in his family, so I still think there’s a chance he can grow.”
As it turns out, Farabee is showing that he’s just the right size to excel in today’s NHL.
-
Ep 59: Stanley Cup Final Preview; Game 1 Thoughts
by Full Press Coverage on June 4, 2023 at 1:43 am
Jim and Chris give their thoughts on the Stanley Cup Final between Vegas […]
-
Ep 58: Stanley Cup Finals Set, Changes In Toronto, And More
by Full Press Coverage on May 31, 2023 at 11:12 pm
Jim and Chris give their early thoughts of the Stanley Cup Finals between […]
-
2023 Stanley Cup Final Talk - Vegas Golden Knights with Willie G. Ramirez
by Full Press Coverage on June 5, 2023 at 12:39 am
Jim Biringer speaks with Willie G. Ramirez of ESPN Las Vegas, The Sporting […]
-
Florida Panthers Stanley Cup Final Talk With Bill Lindsay
by Full Press Coverage on June 3, 2023 at 2:34 am
Jim Biringer is back once again as he is joined by former NHLer, current […]
-
Ep 83: Stanley Cup Playoffs Are Here; Can Bruins Keep Up Pace?
by Full Press Coverage on April 17, 2023 at 4:06 pm
Ian and Chris are back to give their thoughts on the Stanley Cup Playoffs, […]
-
Ep 82: Bruins Set Wins Record, Pasta Hits 60, Playoffs Around The Corner
by Full Press Coverage on April 10, 2023 at 2:27 pm
Ian and Chris react to the Bruins 63rd win of the season, David Pastrnak's […]
-
The Hockey World Revolves Around Toronto
by Jim Biringer on May 23, 2023 at 12:00 pm
Jim is back for a fourth season of the Final Word on Hockey as he is […]
-
S4Ep28 - Stanley Cup Playoffs - Conference Final Preview
by Jim Biringer on May 16, 2023 at 7:28 pm
Jim is back for the fourth season of the Final Word on Hockey previewing […]
-
Panthers at Golden Knights
by Broken Controller Media on June 3, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Stack the Pucks gives a breakdown of every NHL Game on the card. For more […]
-
Golden Knights at Stars
by Broken Controller Media on May 29, 2023 at 4:20 pm
Stack the Pucks gives a breakdown of every NHL Game on the card. For more […]
-
Stars at Golden Knights
by Broken Controller Media on May 27, 2023 at 4:05 pm
Stack the Pucks gives a breakdown of every NHL Game on the card. For more […]
-
Golden Knights at Stars
by Broken Controller Media on May 25, 2023 at 12:35 pm
Stack the Pucks gives a breakdown of every NHL Game on the card. For more […]
-
Episode #141: Tend The Goal
by Full Press Coverage on May 25, 2023 at 2:24 pm
The 2023 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs have reached its final four teams, and […]
-
Episode #140: Stone Cold's 4th Line
by Full Press Coverage on May 23, 2023 at 1:41 pm
And then, there were four. The 2023 AHL Division Finals have concluded, […]
-
Renegades Of Puck Ep 769
by Charlie Saunier on June 4, 2023 at 4:31 am
Ep 769 The Renegades Of Puck Recap Game 5 Preview Game 6 Milwaukee […]
-
Renegades Of Puck Ep 768
by Charlie Saunier on June 2, 2023 at 9:19 am
Ep 768 The Renegades Of Puck Recap Game 4 Preview Game 5 Milwaukee […]
-
Full Press Kraken - Thursday, June 1st
by Full Press Coverage on June 1, 2023 at 2:00 pm
Kraken have offseason work to do, AHL Playoff update. Learn more about […]
-
Full Press Blackhawks - Thursday, June 1st
by Full Press Coverage on June 1, 2023 at 12:15 pm
What could the Blackhawks do to trade up in the 2023 NHL Draft? Who on the […]
-
Full Press Blackhawks - Tuesday, May 30th
by Full Press Coverage on May 30, 2023 at 2:30 pm
Does picking Connor Bedard speed up the Blackhawks’ rebuild and few […]
-
Renegades Of Puck Ep 767
by Charlie Saunier on May 30, 2023 at 4:01 am
Ep 767 The Renegades Of Puck Recap Game 3 Preview Game 4 Milwaukee […]
-
6/2 - Nuggets Take Game 1, Barry Bonds, Stanley Cup Chat w/ Jim Biringer
by Full Press Coverage on June 2, 2023 at 2:03 pm
Ian and John discuss the Nuggets Game 1 win over the Heat, the upcoming […]
-
6/1 - NBA Finals Preview, Aaron Rodgers, and More
by Full Press Coverage on June 1, 2023 at 1:53 pm
Ian and John discuss Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Nuggets and Heat […]
-
5/30 - Heat Dominate Celtics; Vegas Advances; Jimmy G
by Full Press Coverage on May 30, 2023 at 3:35 pm
Ian and John discuss the Celtics disappointing Game 7 performance against […]
-
5/29 - Celtics/Heat Game 7; DeAndre Hopkins Released
by Full Press Coverage on May 30, 2023 at 12:12 am
Ian and John discuss Game 7 between the Celtics and Heat as well as the […]