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Sean Farrell did everything he could this summer to break into the Canadiens’ lineup.

 Manuel Sperandio-Lemay
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Sean Farrell did everything he could this summer to break into the Canadiens’ lineup.

It’s often said, but the Canadiens have many players in all positions within their organization. In Montreal, the club is particularly rich in goalkeepers and defensemen.

It’s not been quite as bad on the attack since the departures of Mike Hoffman and Rem Pitlick, but still: there’s plenty to go around.

We know that the injury to Christian Dvorak, who will find out this month where he stands in relation to his start to the season, could open up a position for a youngster… but we also know that this position could be filled by an extra defender or by a three-man team in front of the net.

In short: youngsters who want to join the club had better get up early.

It seems that, after a less-than-stellar end to the season following his move from Harvard to Montreal, Sean Farrell has been identified as an AHL guy to start the season.

People haven’t lost faith in him because it would be so unfair to do so after a few games like this, but the general consensus is that he, like many prospects, needs some playing time down there.

And if that’s the case, that’s fine.

That said, that doesn’t mean Farrell won’t be fighting for his place in the sun. In an interview with Anthony Martineau (TVA Sports), the youngster affirmed that he had really worked hard this summer.

Martineau spoke of “military discipline” in the case of the hopefuls… and we have to admit he’s right.

After all, after signing a big NHL contract, Farrell didn’t splurge. On the contrary, he decided to do whatever it took to finish his studies and meet the Canadiens’ requirements.

His summer was a mixture of training and studying. He just finished (in three years) his academic career at Harvard, which is extraordinary for someone who played field hockey at a high level during that time.

Every day, he’d get up at 6:30 in the morning to train for a few hours. Afterwards, he’d come home to advance his summer classes (which enabled him to graduate a year early), so he’d have his head in the game in the fall.

In other words, he lived for field hockey.

Clearly, the young man is very down-to-earth. The man who is currently at the NHL showcase didn’t buy anything big when he signed his NHL contract, and he’s determined to stay on top for as long as possible.

But to do that, he has to establish himself there first.

If he doesn’t make the club, which is possible, it won’t be because he underestimated his summer training, anyway. And even if he starts at the bottom, don’t forget that he’s just one callback away from moving up.

Finishing the season in Montreal made him aware of the areas he needs to work on to make his mark in the NHL. He’s listened to the coaches and added six pounds to his frame.

For a small player, that should help. He’ll be harder to play against, as they say in the field hockey world.

The player who has been well received by the team (and especially by Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and… Chris Wideman) feels that he has the coaches’ trust and knows that he can progress by making a few mistakes.

I can’t wait to see the results, as the battle at camp will be fierce. And clearly, even if he did what he had to do (and more), he’s not the only youngster who’s often been in the gym, we agree.


In bursts

– Ouch.

– Matvei Michkov is cocky and that’s normal. [BPM Sports]

– Not strong, chief.

– It’s not a simple matter.

– It was expected.

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