August 15 was the deadline for teams to sign their players drafted from the NCAA from either 2018 or 2019. Several players did not sign with their respective teams and today, the Boston Bruins were the first to step up to the plate to bring one of them into the fold when the team announced they’ve signed John Farinacci to a two-year entry level contract.
The cap hit for the 22-year-old right-shot center $910,000 per season for two years at the NHL level and will pay him $82,500 at the AHL level. It pays him a $775,000 base salary in year one with a $95,000 signing bonus and $80,000 in games played performance bonus. He will earn a base salary of $855,000 in year two with a signing bonus of $95,000.
He will be a restricted free agent at the end of this deal – the maximum term allowed under the CBA. His qualifying offer on expiry will be $897,750.
When you’ve traded so many picks to remain competitive, one of the ways to supplement that prospect pool is with signings like Farinacci. The Bruins remain one of the top teams in attracting and signing such players. An amazing 12.7% of NHL players were never drafted. Only the first round of the NHL Draft (40.6%) and second round (16.6%) produce more NHL players.
Farinacci was however drafted, back in the third round (76th overall) by the Arizona Coyotes. Obviously, the Coyotes and Farinacci could not come to terms and he became an unrestricted free agent. Farinacci said he spoke to other teams but the decision to sign with the Bruins was an easy one.
Farinacci’s path wasn’t exactly “normal.” One look at his Elite Prospects page and you can see how much jumping around he has had to do. Of course, the COVID-19 Pandemic played a role in that. Last season was a difficult one for him because he missed half the season due to injury, yet he still put up a point-per-game on 5 goals and 15 assists while Captaining Harvard University through 19 games.
Farinacci also has blood lines. He is the nephew of Ted Donato and cousin of Ryan Donato. His sister Emma also married Ottawa Senators star Brady Tkachuk last month.
So, what can we expect?
Farinacci is a good skater with good speed but lacks a separation gear to truly take defenders on one-on-one. I don’t think he possesses more than average vision; therefore, he projects to be an average playmaker. However, two big assets are his hockey IQ and his shot.
Although he has mostly played center, those two assets might just prove that he may be better off on the wing. He can find the soft spots on the ice and with the right linemates that can dish him the puck he could utilize his shot more effectively. I’m sure the coaching staff will experiment.
His hockey IQ also makes him a force defensively. He can break up plays through the neutral zone and in his own zone he understands his duties while defending. You rarely find him out of position or chasing. His reads and reaction are flawless.
There’s still some developing to do for Farinacci. Stranger things have happened in hockey and he could make the Boston roster right out of camp. But the best thing for everyone is a year in Providence where he can continue to develop and get accustomed to the pro game.
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Dom - Hockey 
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