Prospect Info: Sean Farrell, C/LW, 124th Overall

[HuGort]

When does his season end? Will he get much of an audition this season?

 

[BaseballCoach]

Naw, Size and instincts are that of a winger. Would be Drouin-esque.

He was drafted as a center, so not sure about that. The logical thing to do is try him in both positions in practices. Or at least keep an open mind over time.

Jacques Lemaire started out as a winger and became a center. Same with Vincent Damphousse. Other way around with Guy Lafleur.

As for Drouin, he is playing better at C this year than he has on wing the past two seasons.

Get Farrell onto the team and don't stress about where he olays just yet. It will probably be wing to start but there is no need to fear a future with him at C if that is what the coaches want from him.

Although neither situation is ideal, I'd rather have two small wingers on a line than one small center. I like me some size up the middle. There aren't a lot of productive 2-way centers who are 5ft9 or shorter in the league.

Farrell plays to his strengths on the wing.

Does anyone have the stats on average size for centers and wingers in the NHL?

 

[ReHabs]

Isn’t it the modern paradigm that wingers need size as the F1s more than Cs?

In any case balance and power are the most important factor for a shorter/smaller player. Some twerps don’t look out of place as Ws and can still forecheck due to it.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Isn’t it the modern paradigm that wingers need size as the F1s more than Cs?

In any case balance and power are the most important factor for a shorter/smaller player. Some twerps don’t look out of place as Ws and can still forecheck due to it.

All things being equal, it's good to have size at all positions. Smaller forwards can still be effective forecheckers as it's often about taking time and space away which requires quickness rather than finishing checks. This is a big reason why the smaller Habs had success against the bigger Bruins from approximately 2000-2015.

Smaller forwards often have trouble with net front battles and getting to the middle. It gets even harder come playoff time. I personally like big centers who can play a heavy game up the middle, backcheck and tie up on draws. I also like speedy wingers with size who can wear down an opponent's D and get to the net.

At the end of the day there's no substitute for skill but it sure helps to have size to go along with it. There aren't many centers below 5ft11 nowadays.

Back to Farrell, he'll be a winger in the NHL. It will be fun to see how he does. He'll likely get a brief audition in April and then possibly play for USA in the Worlds.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Isn’t it the modern paradigm that wingers need size as the F1s more than Cs?

In any case balance and power are the most important factor for a shorter/smaller player. Some twerps don’t look out of place as Ws and can still forecheck due to it.

Not at all, size is a bonus at every position......even as a coach lol.

Small centers are at a distinct disadvantage in the d zone as they are more likely to be in the dirty areas fighting for possession and boxing out other large centers. Wingers spend much more time in open space than centers do as their defensive responsibility is primarily eliminating passing lanes to the opposing D and watching the high weak side slot area when the center moves down to support the D in puck battles. Coaches would much rather lose O-zone board battles than to lose D-zone battles below the dots, hence the preference to keep smaller players primarily on the wing. You can gamble more with bottom 6 centers being smaller as they often have easier matchups and may spend more time in the O-zone but small top 6 centers are a gamble unless they are truly special.

Farrell is 100% a winger at this point but you never know. If he bulks up and gains another step he is definitely smart enough but I seriously doubt that this is what is going to be asked of him early in his career.

 

[WeThreeKings]

The closest Farrell is getting to being a center on the Montreal Canadiens would be a free-flowing system where he's on the wing on face-offs and D-zone, but transition, neutral zone, and offensive zone he plays as the center.

 

[Adam Michaels]

When does his season end? Will he get much of an audition this season?

The regular season is over for Farrell. Harvard is playing a Best-of-3 series this weekend in the Conference Tournament.

But whether they win the Conference Tournament or are eliminated before, they will still go the Nationals. So the earliest his year we should expect Farrell to sign with the Habs is the weekend of the 25th-26th.

IF Harvard is eliminated early in the Nationals, then he could realistically be available for the last 7-8 regular season games.

 

[Tyson]

The regular season is over for Farrell. Harvard is playing a Best-of-3 series this weekend in the Conference Tournament.

But whether they win the Conference Tournament or are eliminated before, they will still go the Nationals. So the earliest his year we should expect Farrell to sign with the Habs is the weekend of the 25th-26th.

IF Harvard is eliminated early in the Nationals, then he could realistically be available for the last 7-8 regular season games.

Has he said what his intentions were or is there a hint of his intentions?
He is a sophomore technically but he played an extra year in the USHL due to covid. In reality he is at the age and experience of a junior.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Has he said what his intentions were or is there a hint of his intentions?
He is a sophomore technically but he played an extra year in the USHL due to covid. In reality he is at the age and experience of a junior.

I think he mentioned that he'd like to turn pro after this year. Hughes also mentioned that they'll try to sign him after his NCAA season is over. He mentioned that they spoke at development camp.

 

[Tyson]

I think he mentioned that he'd like to turn pro after this year. Hughes also mentioned that they'll try to sign him after his NCAA season is over. He mentioned that they spoke at development camp.

I think at 21 he would be itching to turn pro. Hopefully it happens. It would be a nice side plot to watch down the stretch until he gets injured of course.

 

[HuGort]

The regular season is over for Farrell. Harvard is playing a Best-of-3 series this weekend in the Conference Tournament.

But whether they win the Conference Tournament or are eliminated before, they will still go the Nationals. So the earliest his year we should expect Farrell to sign with the Habs is the weekend of the 25th-26th.

IF Harvard is eliminated early in the Nationals, then he could realistically be available for the last 7-8 regular season games.

Hoping for longer audition but I guess it is what it is

 

[rik schau]

I'm a goalie and yes we do..

My link won't post right but here it is

Devils’ Martin Brodeur responds to Alex Ovechkin’s mirrored visor comments: ‘I never called the league about that’

In an hour-long interview with ESPN last week, Ovechkin claimed that the legendary Devils goaltender “started crying to the league” and forced NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to ban mirror-tinted visors in 2006.

www.google.com

Lol ok then. Why on earth would you look at a shooters eyes,as if you have the time anyways. I played my share between the pipes for many decades and got congrats from players on the other teams on many occasion after the games.But being a natural goalscorer,harder to get that than a decent netminder. As a goalscorer,often you're not even looking at a specifc spot,you can shoot using your peripheral vison.

Science News
from research organizations

---

Keep Your Eyes On The Puck: Hockey Goalies With The Quiet Eye Have A Better Chance Of Making Big Saves​

Date:October 27, 2006Source:University of CalgarySummary:Researchers at the University of Calgary's Faculty of Kinesiology may have found the secret to dazzling goaltending, after they discovered the exact spot a goalie needs to watch to be successful.Share:
FULL STORY

---

It happens every night in professional hockey, usually followed by the disbelieving cry of: "How did he save that?"

---

Researchers at the University of Calgary's Faculty of Kinesiology may have found the secret to dazzling goaltending, after they discovered the exact spot a goalie needs to watch to be successful.
Graduate student Derek Panchuk and professor Joan Vickers, who discovered the Quiet Eye phenomenon, have just completed the most comprehensive, on-ice hockey study to determine where elite goalies focus their eyes in order to make a save.
Simply put, they found that goalies should keep their eyes on the puck. In an article to be published in the journal Human Movement Science, Panchuk and Vickers discovered that the best goaltenders rest their gaze directly on the puck and shooter's stick almost a full second before the shot is released. When they do that they make the save over 75 per cent of the time.
"Looking at the puck seems fairly obvious," Panchuk said, "until you look at the eye movements of novice goaltenders, who scatter their gaze all over the place and have a much lower save percentage than the elite goalies."
The findings also contradict some research out of Europe which suggests that soccer goalies concentrate on the non-shooting foot of the kicker to make the save.
The Quiet Eye has been Joan Vickers' life work. She discovered it first in golf (where she has worked with the PGA) and continued her research in several other sports. Vickers describes the Quiet Eye as a critical moment that occurs in every sport-- the moment where the eyes must receive and the brain must process the last piece of visual information before you perform the final critical movement such as putting, shooting a basket, serving, or in this case making a save.
To accurately track eye movements and gaze duration in a sport, Vickers' neuromuscular lab continues to pioneer both technology and research. Their latest invention is wireless headgear that has cameras recording the movements of the athletes' eyes, as well as what they're looking at. The Vision in Action system allows researchers to precisely record an athlete's eye movements, body movements and objects (like a puck) to within 16.67 milliseconds.
"I think this research is exciting because it's new information that can be immediately incorporated into a goalie's game with the proper training," Vickers said. "Our previous experience tells us that if athletes incorporate what we've learned in Quiet Eye studies, they can improve in their sport -- even if they are already at an elite level."
In the case of the National Hockey League, it's easy to see how goalies could benefit. Panchuk's study featured shooters taking unobstructed shots on goaltenders from close distances, closely mimicking the NHL's shootout procedure that decides tied games. Panchuk's study shows that the distance of the shot doesn't seem to matter, as long as goalies concentrates their gaze on the puck and stick in the critical second before it's released.
"Goalies often focus on physical things like improving technique but they over-look the decision-making -- the cognitive side of things," Panchuk said. "I think this study shows that you also need to focus on your decision-making and your thinking processes. Having optimal focus is just as important as being in optimal physical shape."
Panchuk plans to continue the study by moving from wrist shots to slap-shots and penalty shots, where the goalie has even less time to react and make a save.

Notice what all the goalies have in common? and the shooters eyes?

 

[WeThreeKings]

Lol ok then. Why on earth would you look at a shooters eyes,as if you have the time anyways. I played my share between the pipes for many decades and got congrats from players on the other teams on many occasion after the games.But being a natural goalscorer,harder to get that than a decent netminder. As a goalscorer,often you're not even looking at a specifc spot,you can shoot using your peripheral vison.

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Science News
from research organizations

---

Keep Your Eyes On The Puck: Hockey Goalies With The Quiet Eye Have A Better Chance Of Making Big Saves​

Date:October 27, 2006Source:University of CalgarySummary:Researchers at the University of Calgary's Faculty of Kinesiology may have found the secret to dazzling goaltending, after they discovered the exact spot a goalie needs to watch to be successful.Share:
FULL STORY

---

It happens every night in professional hockey, usually followed by the disbelieving cry of: "How did he save that?"

---

Researchers at the University of Calgary's Faculty of Kinesiology may have found the secret to dazzling goaltending, after they discovered the exact spot a goalie needs to watch to be successful.
Graduate student Derek Panchuk and professor Joan Vickers, who discovered the Quiet Eye phenomenon, have just completed the most comprehensive, on-ice hockey study to determine where elite goalies focus their eyes in order to make a save.
Simply put, they found that goalies should keep their eyes on the puck. In an article to be published in the journal Human Movement Science, Panchuk and Vickers discovered that the best goaltenders rest their gaze directly on the puck and shooter's stick almost a full second before the shot is released. When they do that they make the save over 75 per cent of the time.
"Looking at the puck seems fairly obvious," Panchuk said, "until you look at the eye movements of novice goaltenders, who scatter their gaze all over the place and have a much lower save percentage than the elite goalies."
The findings also contradict some research out of Europe which suggests that soccer goalies concentrate on the non-shooting foot of the kicker to make the save.
The Quiet Eye has been Joan Vickers' life work. She discovered it first in golf (where she has worked with the PGA) and continued her research in several other sports. Vickers describes the Quiet Eye as a critical moment that occurs in every sport-- the moment where the eyes must receive and the brain must process the last piece of visual information before you perform the final critical movement such as putting, shooting a basket, serving, or in this case making a save.
To accurately track eye movements and gaze duration in a sport, Vickers' neuromuscular lab continues to pioneer both technology and research. Their latest invention is wireless headgear that has cameras recording the movements of the athletes' eyes, as well as what they're looking at. The Vision in Action system allows researchers to precisely record an athlete's eye movements, body movements and objects (like a puck) to within 16.67 milliseconds.
"I think this research is exciting because it's new information that can be immediately incorporated into a goalie's game with the proper training," Vickers said. "Our previous experience tells us that if athletes incorporate what we've learned in Quiet Eye studies, they can improve in their sport -- even if they are already at an elite level."
In the case of the National Hockey League, it's easy to see how goalies could benefit. Panchuk's study featured shooters taking unobstructed shots on goaltenders from close distances, closely mimicking the NHL's shootout procedure that decides tied games. Panchuk's study shows that the distance of the shot doesn't seem to matter, as long as goalies concentrates their gaze on the puck and stick in the critical second before it's released.
"Goalies often focus on physical things like improving technique but they over-look the decision-making -- the cognitive side of things," Panchuk said. "I think this study shows that you also need to focus on your decision-making and your thinking processes. Having optimal focus is just as important as being in optimal physical shape."
Panchuk plans to continue the study by moving from wrist shots to slap-shots and penalty shots, where the goalie has even less time to react and make a save.

Notice what all the goalies have in common? and the shooters eyes?

You don't stare at the shooters eyes lol, do you know the difference between hard and soft focus? Do you know that goalies scan the ice quickly and often to identify threats.

You try to get as much visual information everywhere especially in a shootout situation.

You're doing a lot of work to try to support the notion a top end prospect cant stick handle without looking at the puck.

It's kind of embarrassing man. Take the L and move on.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

You don't stare at the shooters eyes lol, do you know the difference between hard and soft focus? Do you know that goalies scan the ice quickly and often to identify threats.

You try to get as much visual information everywhere especially in a shootout situation.

You're doing a lot of work to try to support the notion a top end prospect cant stick handle without looking at the puck.

It's kind of embarrassing man. Take the L and move on.

He needs to take the L and move on

“
In 2006 several players complained about Ovechkin's mirrored visor, the most notable of those being goaltender Martin Brodeur who claimed it gave Ovechkin an advantage because his eyes could not be seen. NHL GMs voted in favor of banning the visors but that never became an official part of the rulebook”

 

[WeThreeKings]

He needs to take the L and move on

“
In 2006 several players complained about Ovechkin's mirrored visor, the most notable of those being goaltender Martin Brodeur who claimed it gave Ovechkin an advantage because his eyes could not be seen. NHL GMs voted in favor of banning the visors but that never became an official part of the rulebook”

Players make no look passes for fun not because it has a functional purpose

 

[montreal]

The game he played last night, it just shows you how he's a lock to be an NHLer, so smart, so skilled but also does all the little things as well and while it's not his game he will get his nose dirty.

 

[26Mats]

The game he played last night, it just shows you how he's a lock to be an NHLer, so smart, so skilled but also does all the little things as well and while it's not his game he will get his nose dirty.

It's nice that 3 of our best small young players (Caufield, Farrell, and RHP) all have grit to their game.

 

[Skip Bayless]

The closest Farrell is getting to being a center on the Montreal Canadiens would be a free-flowing system where he's on the wing on face-offs and D-zone, but transition, neutral zone, and offensive zone he plays as the center.

I think the decision will be made when he shows what type of impact he can have as an offensive player.

If let's say, he turns out to be a playmaking machine, to me there's no reason to put him at C. Just exploit his offense and put him on the wing.

If he happens to have more of a well rounded game in which he needs to temper his aggressiveness offensively and position himself more conservatively on top of being 5'6, get him off my team (lol jk), but yeah.

Go with whatever he shows you.

 

[SlafySZN]

I think the decision will be made when he shows what type of impact he can have as an offensive player.

If let's say, he turns out to be a playmaking machine, to me there's no reason to put him at C. Just exploit his offense and put him on the wing.

If he happens to have more of a well rounded game in which he needs to temper his aggressiveness offensively and position himself more conservatively on top of being 5'6, get him off my team (lol jk), but yeah.

Go with whatever he shows you.

He hasn’t played center in years, though. Will be a winger in the NHL 100%.

 

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

Farrell - Suzuki - Caufield = Regular season impact

Farrell - Suzuki - Caufield = Playoffs Zéro Impact

 

[DAChampion]

Can Farrell be converted as a centerman ? He's got great passing skills and vision. Can carry the puck. And seems to be aware defensively too. I am not for another smallish winger in our line up. We got Caufield and possibly RHP for that. That's plenty.

Caulfield is part of the core, Farrell will try to be, and RHP is not.

 

[ole ole]

The Canadiens have 3 top prospects who are finalists for the NCAA's Hobey Baker Award!

Ohio State Goaltender - Jakub Dobeš (20-14-3 - 2.25 GAA - .920%)
Harvard Forward - Sean Farrell (47 points in 29 games)
Boston University Defender - Lane Hutson (43 points in 33 games)
The Hobey Baker Award is an annual award given to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men's ice hockey player.

 

[WinterLion]

Farrell - Suzuki - Caufield = Regular season impact

Farrell - Suzuki - Caufield = Playoffs Zéro Impact

Both Caulfield and Suzi already have had significant playoff success. I think Farell will be ok too. He is pretty tenacious and crafty... I think he is going to be a gamer like those two. Obviously we will also need some bulldogs and bigger guys to add to the mix.

 

[26Mats]

Farrell - Suzuki - Caufield = Regular season impact

Farrell - Suzuki - Caufield = Playoffs Zéro Impact

I think both in the regular season and the playoffs, that line won't be very successful over the long term. They could be used in spurts though.

I remember Gionta-Gomez-Cammalleri coming up big when we eliminated the Penguins in game 7, though that might have been exclusively on the pp. But that was in an even more physical era, before they started calling slashing to the stick and hooking to the hands.

I hope Farrell can work opposite Slafkovsky, Gurianov, or Heineman, or Ylonen. RHP and Anderson work.

 

[KevSkillz4]

The game he played last night, it just shows you how he's a lock to be an NHLer, so smart, so skilled but also does all the little things as well and while it's not his game he will get his nose dirty.

Agree, I think he is already to be a very good top 9 player right now at NHL level. Potential to be a solid top 6, this guy have all tools to succeed. What a pick, a STEAL like Caufield said in Farrell draft year!