Canadiens Prospect Rankings – No.17 Sean Farrell

We’ve reached the 17th best Montreal Canadiens prospect, as voted by Habs fans: playmaker Sean Farrell.

As a reminder, to qualify for our list, Habs prospects must under 24 years old and have fewer than 75 NHL games under their belt. And a little update on the odds as we countdown the prospects, according to FanDuel, the Canadiens now lead the second tier of Cup hopefuls, going off at +4500, ahead of the rest of the playoff hopefuls. The Draftkings promo code also helps.

17.  Sean Farrell, Left Wing, Shoots Left, 23, Laval Rocket, 5’9″, 174 lb. Picked 124th overall in 2020

Talented forward Sean Farrell did not take the typical path to professional hockey, though it was no fault of his own. Due to the pandemic, Farrell returned to the USHL to play with the Chicago Steel, a decision that was made easy by the fact that Harvard cancelled its season in 2020-21. It was clear that Farrell had very little to learn in the USHL, but he made the best of the situation, scoring 29 goals and 72 assists in 53 games for the powerhouse Steel organization.

It was a fantastic production level, but it also meant that Farrell was essentially robbed of his rookie season in the NCAA, throwing a wrench into the development plans.

In two seasons with Harvard, Farrell managed to score 30 goals and 51 assists in 58 games, playing alongside talented Calgary Flames prospect Matt Coronato in the process. Despite putting together solid seasons, the fact that he’s just 5’9″, not to mention the strength of his linemates throughout his amateur career, led many suggesting his skill set would not translate to professional hockey.

A mediocre rookie season that led to nine goals and 19 assists in 47 games with the Laval Rocket only strengthened the concerns about his potential, to the point that many fans had essentially written him off.

I’ll be honest, I hadn’t given up on Farrell after just one season in the AHL, but his lacklustre start to the 2024-25 season was impossible to ignore. Farrell scored just four goals and five assists in 37 games, a lower production rate than his underwhelming rookie campaign.

Fortunately for Farrell, there was one person who still believed at him, and it was the most important person related to his development: Laval Rocket head coach Pascal Vincent.

The Decision That Saved Sean Farrell

A bevy of injuries in January left an opening on the top line, leading to Vincent’s decision to promote Farrell to play alongside Alex Barre-Boulet and Lucas Condotta in early February. Condotta was later replaced by different players, most notably veteran Laurent Dauphin.

The decision paid off, as Farrell didn’t just find his rhythm, he suddenly became one of the most productive Montreal Canadiens prospects on the farm.

The 23-year-old scored 16 goals and 19 assists in 30 games to close out the season, signifying an absolutely ridiculous uptick in scoring.

Another way of putting it would be that Farrell went from slightly less than 0.25 points per game to 1.1 points per game.

Barre-Boulet scores his 12th of the season after a nice pass by Sean Farrell. #GoHabsGo https://t.co/kADnzbBnzq pic.twitter.com/DUPIiuTsKJ

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) February 20, 2025

Even though he’s primarily a playmaker, it’s important to note that Farrell’s goal scoring also improved by leaps and bounds, going from 0.1 goals per game to 0.5 goals per game. He continued his solid work in the playoffs, notching three goals and seven assists in 10 games.

More than unlocking his scoring potential, the promotion also ensured Farrell maintained his position on the prospect depth chart, leading to a one-year extension with the Montreal Canadiens.

The Sean Farrell Contract Situation

While it’s clear that Farrell worked hard to restore his value within the organization, there’s still choppy water left to navigate.

Ideally, the Habs would be able to give Farrell another full year in the AHL to gauge his value, not to mention help the Rocket in their bid to earn a Calder Cup trophy.

However, as it stands, Farrell is now eligible for waivers, which means there’s a risk another team may pluck him from the waiver wire. He is guaranteed to earn at least $110,000 next season, which should work in Laval’s favour. There’s also the matter of his diminutive size, which may mitigate some of the interest in the burgeoning prospect.

The final factor in play is that most clubs already similar players as Farrell in their prospect pool, and teams tend to aim for NHL-ready talent on the waiver wire at the start of the season, connoting that there’s a chance the Habs may be able to assign him to the Rocket.

What’s Next For Montreal Canadiens Prospect Sean Farrell?

If the Canadiens do manage to send him to the AHL, Farrell must maintain his improved production rate, a difficult but essentially step to ensure he’s nearing an ascension to the NHL.

It won’t be easy, especially since there is no guarantee he will be used in the top six. Even if he does end up playing on the first line again, he’ll have to do so without the help of Barre-Boulet, as he signed a contract with the Colorado Avalanche in the summer.

Fortunately for Farrell, he has a long history of flourishing once he’s put in a position to succeed, and though Vincent deserves a lot of credit for the decision that saved Farrell’s season, we’d be remiss if we didn’t give the player the lion’s share of the credit.

That momentum will serve him well heading into 2025-26, the most important season of his young professional hockey career.

Previously Published 2025 Montreal Canadiens Prospect Articles:

Canadiens Prospect Rankings: Introduction, 2024 Retrospective

Canadiens Prospect Rankings: The Departed And Traded

Canadiens Prospect Rankings: The Honourable Mentions

Get An Exclusive Betting Bonus With Draft Kings.

Canadiens Prospect Rankings No.20 – Filip Mesar

Canadiens Prospect Rankings No.19 – Luke Tuch

Canadiens Prospect Rankings No.18 – Aatos Koivu

Do you agree or disagree with the Montreal Canadiens prospect rankings?  Let us know in the comments below!