Sean Farrell was seen as one of the Montreal Canadiens’ most promising prospects.
Cole Caufield even spoke of a real theft when the CH selected him in the 4th round, 124th overall.
The dream turned into a nightmare. Farrell is experiencing a very difficult situation today, with the arrival of Alex Barré-Boulet at the Laval Rocket.
Relegated to reserve status, Farrell finds himself in an uncomfortable position, where he must fight not only for ice time, but also to prove that he still deserves a place in the organization’s future, even in Laval.
Let’s say that Farrell didn’t have a smile on his face at Rocket training today, he who was part of the “reject” group of attackers, as mentioned by BPM Sports journalist Anthony Martineau.
“Sean Farrell faces the return of Alex Barré-Boulet to the AHL. He finds himself with the surplus quartet currently with Alex Beaucage, Riley Kidney and Jacob Perreault. The 4th trio seems to be made up of Luke Tuch, Florian Xhekaj and Vincent Arseneau. “
The pressure is enormous: the media do not hesitate to call him a flop, amplifying the idea that he is perhaps not cut out for the National League.
However, one voice stands out to support him: Pascal Vincent, new head coach of the Laval Rocket, firmly believes in his potential.
“This guy is smarter than me”affirmed Vincent when speaking of Farrell, illustrating his confidence in the playing intelligence of the young 22-year-old winger.
Let’s say the coach didn’t keep his word by already sending him to the stands. Worse still, Farrell risks warming up the bench in the press box during the opening match next Friday.
While Vincent had stated that he was going to “coach” with the aim of developing and not winning, we then realize that Farrell is no longer one of the organization’s brightest hopes.
Farrell is a player known for his finesse and reading of the game. But in a league as physical as the AHL, his size of 5 feet 9 inches and 181 pounds makes him an easy target.
The path to the NHL already seemed complicated. And now we wonder if he has. the caliber to remain in the American League.
The former coach of the Laval Rocket, Jean-François Houle, warned us.
Last season, Houle publicly targeted Farrell by ordering him to take an example from Xavier Simoneau and Joshua Roy, emphasizing that these players, despite their modest size, demonstrated exemplary robustness and courage.
“When you’re little, you don’t have a choice. You must always move your feet. Xavier is a role model for Sean”he insisted in front of journalists, while targeting him for his physical condition.
“He needs to put on some mass. His physical strength really needs to be better.”
Houle went further by stating that Farrell needed to become a complete player, able to drop back effectively on defense, citing Joshua Roy as a benchmark for play on both ends of the ice.
“When you’re a small player, you can’t be nonchalant. You have to be dynamic. »
“You look at Joshua Roy’s level of competition and that should inspire Sean (Farrell) as well. He’s not afraid to go into the corners, he wins his one-on-one duels, you always see him come out of the corner with possession of the puck.”
“This art of winning his fights in the corner, Josh (Roy) learned it. He was less surly a year or two ago. He learned that he had to work and not rely solely on his talent. »
“He has to be able to play both ways of the ice. When you see Josh (Joshua Roy), he’s always on the defensive every time the puck changes team possession. In his zone, his stick is solid and always moving his feet. »
This public criticism provoked a reaction from Farrell, who poorly digested his former coach’s comments.
He would have preferred these remarks to be addressed to him in private, which had created obvious tension between the two men.
Farrell should have accepted this criticism as an opportunity for progression. At this stage of his career, he can’t afford to get offended over such a small matter.
Houle, despite his “old school” method, may have tried to pique the pride of the young player to push him to surpass himself.
Instead, he collapsed.
Pascal Vincent, aware of the challenges Farrell faces, believes the young winger can still become a key player in Laval.
He is convinced that his playing intelligence will compensate for his physical deficit in the long term.
However, Farrell is now a reserve, seeing his NHL dream slip further away.
“He must show that he can play with intensity and make the difference”insists Vincent. The competition is tough and places are rare.
The truth is that Farrell has become a forgotten player in the Canadiens’ development system.
A reality check is necessary: if he fails to bounce back, he will have to ask himself if hockey is really an avenue for his future.
Farrell’s future is no longer in his hands, and it is from Gardins that he will have to write the rest of his story.
The reality of professional hockey is cruel.
