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Joel Farabee

Joel Farabee Out Week-To-Week With Upper-Body Injury

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Dec 4: Farabee has been moved to injured reserve, giving the team room to recall Jackson Cates from the AHL. Cates, 24, made his NHL debut last season after signing out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth and has been playing for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this year.

Dec 3: The Philadelphia Flyers’ nightmare season rolls on, this time with another injury to a key player. Joel Farabee suffered an upper-body injury against the New York Rangers on Wednesday night and will be out on a week-to-week basis. Farabee was not at practice today and the team has recalled Max Willman and Connor Bunnaman under emergency conditions.

Farabee left in the first period of the game after falling awkwardly into the boards, holding his left arm gingerly at his side. To that point, he was tied for the team lead in goals with seven, though his overall impact has been stifled like many of the Flyers forwards this season. With 10 points in 21 games, he was on pace to just barely crack his previous career-high, set at 38 points last season in just 55 games. That doesn’t mean the team won’t miss him though, as he’s still one of the few bright spots in the lineup as they navigate a brutal seven-game losing streak.

The Flyers will likely be going through drastic changes to the core if this season continues the way it has gone so far, but Farabee isn’t going anywhere. The 21-year-old signed a six-year extension in September that will carry a cap hit of $5MM through the 2027-28 season. His continued development is key for the organization and long-term injury would only hinder that. Hopefully, he can get back on the ice in the coming weeks without needing surgery or missing a huge chunk of the season.

Injury Notes: Kucherov, Zboril, Farabee

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When Nikita Kucherov was last sidelined due to injury, it took him the entire 2020-21 regular season to recover. This time around, the absence won’t be nearly as long for the 2018-19 Hart Trophy winner. Kucherov is right on track to return from the lower body injury he suffered back in October, for which he was given an eight-to-ten week recovery period after undergoing surgery. NHL.com reports that Kucherov was back at practice for the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, his first time skating with the team since he was injured on October 16 – exactly seven weeks to the day. Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was quick to qualify the appearance, stating that “this does not trigger anything new on his timeline; he’s still quite a ways off.” However, getting Kucherov back on the ice is the first major step toward getting the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs back to full strength. The Lightning are enjoying another solid season, even with Kuckerov and Brayden Point on the shelf, but are well behind the rival Florida Panthers for the lead in the Atlantic Division and could use the boost that a Kucherov return will bring to get back into the mix for the Eastern Conference crown.

  • The Boston Bruins are still waiting on clarification on the injury to defenseman Jakub Zboril in their last game on Thursday night. Zboril took an awkward check from Nashville’s Tanner Jeannot and appeared to injure his knee. He was helped off the ice and did not return in what seemed to be a serious incident. However, the team has made no definitive statement as to Zboril’s status just yet. Boston only announced that Zboril will not play on Saturday night and will be re-evaluated in the coming days, which could mean that the injury was not as severe as it seems or it could simply be that they have not yet determined the severity. The hope is that Zboril can return as soon as possible, as the blue liner is playing the best hockey of his NHL career providing consistent and dependable play on the back end. With Zboril finally flashing the ability that made him a first-round pick in 2015, the Bruins want to keep that momentum going if at all possible.
  • On the other end of the spectrum, the specifics have been revealed on the injury to Philadelphia Flyers forward Joel Farabee. The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor reports that Farabee has suffered a Grade II AC sprain in his shoulder. The typical recovery from the injury is up to six weeks, which O’Connor notes lines up with what Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault had initially suggested, even though Farabee was considered “week-to-week”. Philly will have to make do through at least the rest of the calendar year without the young scorer, who is tied for the team lead in goals.

Philadelphia Flyers Extend Joel Farabee

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The Philadelphia Flyers have inked a long-term deal with one of their young breakout stars, signing Joel Farabee to a six-year extension. The contract will come into effect for the 2022-23 season and keep Farabee signed through 2027-28. Currently on the last season of his entry-level contract, the extension will carry a $5.0MM average annual value. PuckPedia reports that the deal does not include any trade protection and provide the full breakdown:

  • 2022-23: $1.0MM salary + $2.0MM signing bonus
  • 2023-24: $2.25MM salary + $2.0MM signing bonus
  • 2024-25: $3.0MM salary + $2.0MM signing bonus
  • 2025-26: $4.25MM salary + $1.5MM signing bonus
  • 2026-27: $6.0MM salary
  • 2027-28: $6.0MM salary

Farabee, 21, experienced a true breakout this season, scoring 20 goals and 38 points in 55 games for the Flyers. That perhaps should have been the expectation though after his strong rookie campaign, which saw him post 21 points in 52 games before playing well in the postseason bubble. The 14th overall pick from 2018, Farabee is quickly making teams regret not selecting him higher. He now sits third in goals from that draft class behind only Brady Tkachuk and Andrei Svechnikov despite having played just 107 NHL games to this point.

An extension this early and for this much is a bet that the 2020-21 Farabee wasn’t an illusion and that he will only continue to get better in the years to come. The deal buys out two years of unrestricted free agency and means the Flyers never have to deal with another RFA negotiation or arbitration with the young forward. It also means that there is a real opportunity for excess value in those years if Farabee continues on his strong development path.

Signing a deal of this length now could very well be leaving money on the table, but it obviously gives Farabee security and peace of mind. He gets a good salary for the prime years of his career and will hit the open market with plenty of time to sign another multi-year deal. Any savings he provides can also be used to make the Flyers better over his contracted period, giving him a supporting cast that can help contend.

The Flyers will need those savings too, as they move forward with long-term deals for aging veterans. Sean Couturier recently signed an eight-year extension that will pay him $7.75MM through 2029-30, while Ryan Ellis is entering just the third season of his own eight-year deal that carries a cap hit of $6.25MM. If the Flyers re-sign captain Claude Giroux before he hits unrestricted free agency next summer he too will be an expensive ticket, meaning every dollar they can save on a deal like Farabee’s is important.

Of course, there is always risk when signing a deal of this length as well. There’s no guarantee that his performance this year is indicative of what he’ll provide over the entire deal, and he could always regress or suffer injuries. Still, betting on a 21-year-old who has shown he can be a 20-goal scorer in a shortened season is a pretty worthwhile gamble.

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/06/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Though the league is still waiting on a report from the Blue Jackets and Blues but here is the rest of the list:

Colorado – Dennis Gilbert
Columbus – TBA
Pittsburgh – Colton Sceviour*
San Jose – Tomas Hertl, Marcus Sorensen
St. Louis – TBA

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Joel Farabee, Philadelphia Flyers

Farabee’s removal marks a great day for Philadelphia, as the Flyers are completely free of the COVID protocol. The team couldn’t manage a win against Pittsburgh earlier today but should have their full contingent ready for tomorrow night.

Sceviour’s addition comes after Sidney Crosby and assistant coach Todd Reirden both had a short stint earlier this week. Hopefully, the Penguins forward will have a similar timeline, though there is no way to tell at this point.

*denotes new addition

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/05/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Though the league is still waiting on a report from the Kings, here is the rest of the list:

Colorado – Dennis Gilbert*
Philadelphia – Joel Farabee
San Jose – Tomas Hertl, Marcus Sorensen*

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Charlie Coyle, Boston Bruins

Gilbert comes onto the list in Colorado, certainly not the first person ruled out for them this season. We’ll have to wait and see what this means for the club and if any other players will be added in the coming days.  Sorensen is also a late addition after last playing for San Jose on Monday.

Coyle, who was only added on Wednesday, comes off for the Bruins, clearing their board and meaning they’re back to full capacity.

*denotes new addition

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/04/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is today’s updated list:

Boston – Charlie Coyle
Philadelphia – Joel Farabee*
San Jose – Tomas Hertl

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Ryan Johansen, Nashville Predators; Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins.

While Penguins superstar Crosby, as well as Pittsburgh assistant coach Todd Reirden, are a welcome subtraction from the CRPA list, it is one step forward and one step back as the league continues to get agonizingly close to a blank list. The Philadelphia Flyers are back on COVID watch, as Farabee makes his first appearance of the season less than a week after many of his teammates were finally removed. Boston Bruins forward Coyle, a late addition on Wednesday night, also does not seem to be a fluke, as he was not at practice this morning and remains on today’s list.

UPDATE: Nashville’s late report showed that that they too are no longer carrying any protocol players. Johansen has been activated from the CPRA list, making this a net positive day in the league’s battle against COVID.

*denotes new addition

Injury Notes: Stamkos, Voracek, Blue Jackets

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The continued unavailability of Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Steven Stamkos continues to be one of the biggest background stories of the NHL re-start and it isn’t going away. Head coach Jon Cooper told TSN that Stamkos will not be available for the team’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers today, which decides the No. 1 seed and home ice in the Eastern Conference. However, he went one step further by stating that Stamkos is out “indefinitely”, which calls into question whether there is any timeline for Stamkos’ return. The scoring center has been skating and per Cooper is “working his tail off” but it might not be enough for him to be ready for the start of the first round. The Athletic’s Joe Smith details the struggles that some players have returning from core injuries, particularly core surgery, so Stamkos’ delayed recovery is not a total surprise even five months removed. However, Smith writes that the concern is not that Stamkos has far exceeded the six-to-eight week timeline from back in March, but that the player and team both seem to have no idea of when he might be ready to return. Especially after having months off to recover, the fact that Stamkos is not ready could mean that he might not make it back for this postseason period.

  • The Bolts’ opponent tonight, the Philadelphia Flyers, will also be missing one of their top forwards for the crucial seeding game. With a chance to go from fourth to first in the conference seeding, the Flyers will have to do so without Jakub Voracek. Head coach Alain Vigneault told NBC Sports Philadelphia that Voracek simply “is not available” for Saturday’s match-up and did not share any further details. Without any pre-existing injury and the agreement between the NHL and NHLPA not to disclose any medical information during these playoffs, this is the most that might be out there about Voracek. The star forward played a standard amount of ice time in the Flyers’ last game and did not appear to suffer an injury, but for one reason or another will not be in the lineup. Fortunately for the Flyers, the team’s depth up front is impressive, allowing promising rookie Joel Farabee to replace Voracek on the first line while veteran James van Riemsdyk returns to the lineup in his stead.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets hoped to shut the door on their qualifying round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday, but a last-minute three-goal collapse led to an overtime loss and a Game Five date on Sunday. It is not a coincidence that young standout defenseman Zach Werenski was not on the ice for any of the Leafs’ four goals against last night, as he missed the final nine minutes of regulation and all of overtime. Werenski appeared to suffer the injury while being tripped in the offensive zone, but then was seen having his neck examined and massaged on the Blue Jacket bench. Neither head coach John Tortorella nor GM Jarmo Kekalainen have had any update on Werenski’s condition or his availability for Sunday. The Athletic’s Alison Lukan points out that Ryan Murray, who is a constant injury risk, missed Game Four and the combination of both defensemen being out for Game Five would be a major hit to Columbus’ strongest position.

Snapshots: Vatanen, Fines, Raffl

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Sami Vatanen is in the Carolina Hurricanes lineup again this afternoon, meaning the New Jersey Devils are winners today. Since Vatanen has played in two games, the Devils will receive at least a fourth-round pick from the Hurricanes to complete the trade. That pick could still be upgraded to a 2020 third-round selection, but the Devils at least know they’re getting something.

The Hurricanes are likely just happy that Vatanen is healthy and contributing, given the fact that he didn’t play a single game for the team before the shutdown. The 29-year old defenseman is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, using these playoffs as a nice portfolio piece for upcoming negotiations.

  • Not only did Vancouver Canucks forward Micheal Ferland escape suspension for his spearing incident last night, but he also won’t even be the only person receiving a fine. The Department of Player Safety has decided to fine Ferland $5,000 for the incident, along with giving Minnesota Wild forward Luke Kunin a $1,000 ticket. Ferland seems to always be in the middle of physical altercations, playing his role well for the Canucks.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers will be without an important piece of their lineup, as head coach Alain Vigneault told reporters including Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer that Michael Raffl will be out for “a while.” The team will insert young forward Joel Farabee in Raffl’s spot, giving him a chance to show exactly why they took him 14th overall in 2018.

James Van Riemsdyk Breaks Hand, Flyers Recall Joel Farabee

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4:05pm: The Flyers have announced that van Riemsdyk will miss four to six weeks with the hand injury, effectively ending his regular season.

8:50am: The important 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals last night came with a price for the Philadelphia Flyers, as James van Riemsdyk is now out with a broken hand. The Flyers forward blocked a shot from Capitals defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler and was forced to leave the game. In his place, the Flyers have recalled Joel Farabee from the minor leagues.

Losing van Riemsdyk at this point in the season is brutal news for the Flyers, who are on a seven-game winning streak and have pulled within a single point of the Metropolitan division lead. While he doesn’t dominate games the way some other high-priced talent can, van Riemsdyk always finds a way to put the puck in the net. After scoring 27 goals in just 66 games last season for the Flyers, it looks like his season will end with 19 this time around.

Luckily, the team has other options like Farabee waiting for a chance to get back into the NHL lineup. The 20-year old forward has 20 points in 49 games on the year and looks like he will be an impact player for years to come in Philadelphia.

Minor Transactions: 02/29/20

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Today is leap day and a number of NHL teams will be looking to do just that when it comes to the standings. Saturday’s slate of a dozen games features ten games with at least one team in the thick of the playoff race, including six collisions between current playoff teams. The Bruins and Islanders kick off the action this afternoon; New York has a chance to pull into a tie with the Penguins for the final Metropolitan Division spot, but Boston has won their past ten road games versus the Isles. Later this afternoon, the Lightning – losers of four straight – look to get back on track as they host the Flames. The nighttime lineup begins with the Panthers, desperate for a win to keep up with the Maple Leafs, hosting head coach Joel Quenneville’s former club, the Blackhawks. Toronto will have their hands full themselves as they face the Canucks, who need to make the most of their games in hand to catch the red-hot Golden Knights. The new-look Hurricanes must do the same to keep up in the wild card race, as they visit the Canadiens. The Central Division could be in for a shake-up, as the streaking Avalanche take on the Predators while the equally hot Blues face the Stars. Finally, in late night action for those not on the west coast, the Jets and Oilers collide in a game that could make waves in the Western wild card chase, while the Penguins look to end the league’s worst current losing streak against the Sharks. With plenty of action, there very likely could be plenty of roster adjustments as well. Keep up with all those minor transactions right here:

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets announced that they have recalled Ryan MacInnis from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. MacInnis, 23, has been up and down a number of times this season, but has recorded just one assist in nine games with Columbus. However, he has already set a new career high in points in the minors, with 30 points in 45 games. The two-way center appears to be adding more of an offensive touch to his game, but just needs to transition that ability to the top level.
  • With the news that Blackhawks forwards Andrew Shaw and Zack Smith will not be returning this season due to their current injuries, there are opportunities for others to step up in the Chicago lineup. Brandon Hagel will get his chance, as the team has recalled the 21-year-old from the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs. The first-year pro has 19 goals and 30 points in 55 games with Rockford in an impressive debut campaign and will continue a year of firsts when he takes the ice for the first time with the Blackhawks. UPDATE: Unfortunately, for Hagel, the team announced they opted to return him just hours later as the Blackhawks did not need him.
  • CapFriendly reports that the Colorado Avalanche have reassigned forward Logan O’Connor to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. The University of Denver product has been a fixture of Colorado hockey for many years now, but still has yet to make much of an impact at the NHL level with just one point in 14 games over the past two seasons.
  • The New Jersey Devils announced they have recalled forward Jesper Boqvist from the Binghamton Devils of the AHL. The team has been playing with 12 forwards and no reserves lately, but with three games in the next four days out on the West Coast, New Jersey is likely going to need some insurance at forward. Boqvist spent most of the season in New Jersey, posting four goals and no assists in 34 games, but was sent to the AHL on Jan. 19 to get more playing time. He has five goals and eight points in 15 games in Binghamton.
  • CapFriendly reports that the Montreal Canadiens have activated defenseman Xavier Ouellet off of injured reserve. The blueliner has missed more than a week with a concussion, but could be in the Canadiens’ lineup later today. That move could also signal the end for Karl Alzner, who replaced him on the roster and is likely headed for Laval.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers announced they have recalled forward Joel Farabee from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL. Farabee was sent to the AHL last Monday, which allowed him to be eligible for the AHL playoffs. The 20-year-old has had an inconsistent rookie season with the Flyers, having posted seven goals and 20 points in 49 games, which included a January demotion to the Phantoms. He has two goals and three assists over his last nine games.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights announced they have recalled forward Brandon Pirri from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. That likely suggests that forward Tomas Nosek, who left Friday’s game with an undisclosed injury. Pirri was expected to play a bigger role in Las Vegas this season after potting 12 goals last year. However, after going scoreless after 11 games, he was sent to Chicago where he has had 15 goals and 35 points in 38 games.

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