Canadiens Farrell Out Of NCAA Tournament, Free To Sign ELC

Montreal Canadiens prospect Sean Farrell is one of the most productive players in college hockey.

And now that his team, the Harvard Crimson, has been eliminated from the NCAA tournament, Farrell is free to sign his entry-level contract with the Canadiens.

The Crimson fell 8-1 to the Ohio State Buckeyes, ending their impressive season not with a bang, but with a whimper. Canadiens prospect Jakub Dobes made 21 saves for the Buckeyes and will face the winner of Quinnipiac and Merrimack in the semifinals.

Farrell had one assist in the loss, but it was a shambolic performance by Harvard, who had one of the most star-studded rosters in recent NCAA history, featuring NHL-drafted players such as Alex Laferriere, Matt Coronato, John Farinacci, Henry Thrun, and Joe Miller, in addition to Farrell.

The Buckeyes didn’t just outplay the Crimson, they flat-out dominated every moment of the game.

Farrell, 21, is expected to sign his entry-level contract in the near future, which should lead to his NHL debut. By playing any number of games this season Farrell will burn the first year of his entry-level contract.

The Habs have until August 15, 2024, to sign the 2020 fourth-round pick, but seeing as Farrell is the Canadiens prospect who is closest to being ready to make the jump to professional hockey, it would be surprising to see him return to Harvard for a third season.

He finished his junior season with the Crimson by scoring 20 goals and 32 assists in 34 games, resulting in 1.53 points per game, the second-best production rate in the NCAA.

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Only 2023 top prospect Adam Fantilli finished with a higher scoring pace (1.88 points per game).

Farrell is a playmaker first and foremost but has added an excellent shot to his offensive arsenal, powered by a deceptive release. He likes to generate scoring chances off the rush, oftentimes forcing defending players to cheat in a desperate attempt to slow him down.

Farrell is among the 10 NCAA finalists for the Hobey Baker Trophy, awarded to the top collegiate player every season.

Though we expect Farrell to earn a late-season audition with the Canadiens, if he does sign with the Habs he will not be eligible to join the Laval Rocket for a potential playoff run, seeing as he signed his entry-level contract after the trade deadline.