When Montreal Canadiens prospect Sean Farrell was drafted in 2020 he was seen by many as a steal. However, Farrell is coming off an injury-plagued first pro season. His first season with the AHL’s Laval Rocket, combined with other prospects surpassing him in the depth charts have many fans dismissing Farrell’s NHL chances. Does Farrell still have an NHL future with the Montreal Canadiens, or will he continue his pro career elsewhere?
Sean Farrell’s Future With the Montreal Canadiens
Drafted in the fourth round 124th overall by the Canadiens, Sean Farrell was coming off a stellar USHL season. Farrell finished his USHL season with 101 points in only 53 games. However, despite this, his stature made him fall in the draft rankings. Farrell sits at only 5″9 and 175 pounds. Many scouts wondered if Farrell would be able to adjust to the physical side of the game at the pro level.
Sean Farrell’s Career Statistical Overview
Farrell would continue to prove people wrong following his draft. He played two subsequent seasons with Harvard where he put up 81 points in 58 games combined. What really put Farrell on the map however was his Olympic performance in 2022 where he had six points in four games. He also had six points in ten games at the 2022 Men’s World Championships later that year.
Despite these impressive performances against top-level men’s competition, Sean Farrell’s last year hasn’t been as successful. Farrell completed a short stint with the Canadiens after signing his entry-level deal at the end of the 2022-23 season. He had only one point in six games and didn’t look ready for the NHL level. The following season he spent the year in Laval posting decent numbers with 28 points in 47 games. However, he couldn’t stay healthy and suffered various injuries throughout the season. This put into question his capabilities of handling the rigors of the NHL.
Canadiens Depth Charts
The Canadiens currently have a logjam at forward. They are also anticipated to acquire some impact forwards to fill out their top-six sooner rather than later. This doesn’t bode well for Farrell’s chances at cracking the lineup with many vets and young impact guys ahead of him in the depth charts.
Farrell has also fallen victim to one of the NHL’s deepest prospect pools. Once looked at as one of the organization’s top forward prospects, Farrell has since been surpassed by other prospects. These include the likes of Joshua Roy, Emil Heineman, Owen Beck, and Oliver Kapanen.
How Farrell Fits into the Canadiens Future
The big problem with Farrell is he is a guy who relies solely on skill to get by. While he is immensely talented, this skill won’t be able to be put properly on display unless he is featured in a top-six role. However, with the Canadiens logjam up front and many prospects and impact players anticipated to be added to that group, Farrell will have a hard time cracking the Canadiens top-six.
As a bottom-six forward, the team will likely look at guys like Beck, Roy, Heineman, and Kapanen who play physical, two-way games while still providing some offensive upside as well. The same can’t be said for Farrell and as a result, he has no place in the team’s bottom-six. For that reason, his future with the team is in doubt.
Many fans have dismissed Farrell’s chances of playing with the Canadiens due to these factors. It’s unfair to completely dismiss Farrell ever playing with the Habs after only one pro season, however. But the Canadiens may opt to use him in a package to acquire a more impactful forward for their future. Either way, this next year or two will be pivotal for the future of Sean Farrell with the Canadiens.
Main photo credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports
