Montreal Canadiens: Sean Farrell Should Watch Johnny Gaudreau Closely Tonight

The Montreal Canadiens selected Sean Farrell with the 124th selection in the 2020 NHL Draft, and he has had two dominant seasons in the NCAA.

This is his first full year of professional hockey, and while he hasn’t shined like he did in college, he has intriguing skills and is a very talented playmaker. He isn’t a speedster, but he gets by; using his smarts and great anticipation skills. As a smaller player, to stick in the league, you need to find new things that make you stand out and allow you to help your team.

A player that comes to mind just so happens to be visiting the Canadiens at the Bell Centre tonight, when his Columbus Blue Jackets come to town. Johnny Gaudreau is known for his time with the Calgary Flames, but he is in Ohio now. Anyway, he is a smaller player, but because he is so shifty and a strong skater, he can find space and exploit it quickly, which opens up so much space for him and his teammates to create in the offensive zone.

Farrell could stand to learn a thing or two from watching Gaudreau highlights, but also from watching the game tonight. The deceptiveness and his low center of gravity allow him to turn on a dime using great edge work, before exploding up the ice. I believe Farrell will play hockey for a long time, and arrive at his ceiling in due time, but watching a guy like Gaudreau and trying to emulate some of the things he does, could be an effective practice for a play of similar stature.

We all want Farrell to be his own player, and I’m not suggesting that he tries to be Gaudrea, that would be unfair to both parties. But improving his edgework and adding some strength to his lower body could really allow him to become an elite talent. The confidence that will follow those improvements, could really transform Farrell into a very good winger for the Habs.

He will hold the puck longer be able to create more and get into great positions to shoot. A heavier shot could be another thing to work on, but with the improved skating, some things might look more natural. Ever since Cole Caufield labelled Farrell a steal, I have been dreaming of him slinging passes to Caufield on the powerplay, and it’s a beautiful sight.

Gaudreau is an elite player, and if everybody could do what he does, then he wouldn’t be so special. But many young players come into the league and try to emulate and watch certain players that they like. Personally, I think Gaudreau would be a fantastic guy for Farrell to watch videos on to improve his game.

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