Montreal Canadiens: Top 31 Prospects – #6 Sean Farrell

Montreal Canadiens fans don’t get a lot of breaking news in the month of August, so here at A Winning Habit, we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 31 prospects currently in the Habs organization. Each player was carefully deliberated by our writers and ranked accordingly. Today, we’re onto the 6th ranked player, Sean Farrell.

Farrell was drafted by the Canadiens in the fourth round of the 2020 draft, 142nd overall. Despite having a vast arsenal of skills, Farrell was undersized, at just 5’9″, which undoubtedly contributed to him being available when he was. But since being drafted, Farrell has done nothing but prove why teams shouldn’t have overlooked him.

In his first year following the draft, Farrell played for the Chicago Steel of the USHL, where he put up 101 points and 29 goals in just 53 games. This helped him take home USHL Player of the Year honours and a USHL Clark Cup Championship. Farrell then took his talents to the NCAA, playing for the Harvard Crimson, where the success continued.

In two years at Harvard, Farrell registered 81 points in 58 games, cementing himself as one of the best players in college hockey. All of this led to Farrell signing his entry-level contract with the Canadiens last March, where he suited up in six games for the Habs, notching his first career NHL goal.

Farrell is certainly more of a playmaker than a goal scorer, but he has a good enough shot that he’ll be able to beat goalies at the NHL level. Where he shines is as a passer, though, using excellent vision, hockey IQ, and shiftiness to manipulate passing lanes and find the open man. He’s creative and intelligent, which leads to solid offense, something the Canadiens will definitely find a use for.

Where he struggles is in large part due to his size, as he’s not as engaged in battles as others would be. You need to be able to go into corners and fight for possession at the pro level, whether we’re talking the AHL or NHL. Farrell might’ve been able to get away without it at Harvard, but now that he’s here, he can work on that for sure.

Farrell has the makings of a solid middle-six forward with possible top-six upside if he really shines. He’s certainly gifted enough offensively to make things happen, and he could be a welcomed addition to a powerplay that’s struggled for at least half a decade now. He likely needs time in the AHL to adapt to the pro game, but once he figures it out, he’ll likely be a key contributor for the Canadiens.