John Farinacci Has a Solid First-Year Pro Season

After a stellar freshman season with Harvard in 2019-2020, when he tallied 10 goals and 12 assists in 31 games, John Farinacci’s development was stymied by the COVID pandemic, which caused players to lose most of the following year of competition.

Farinacci entered the 2022-2023 season aiming to refine his skills. In just 19 games (he missed the first half of the season with a herniated disc), he scored 5 goals and tallied 15 assists.

Originally drafted in the third round by the Arizona Coyotes in 2019 as the 76th overall pick, the two sides could not reach an agreement and Farinacci would eventually become an unrestricted free agent.

Having seen enough from the young player, the Bruins—guided by collegiate scout Brett Harkins—offered Farinacci a professional contract. Eager to turn pro, Farinacci signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Bruins on August 16, 2023, the day after the Coyotes’ rights expired.

With only two weeks left in the AHL regular season, Farinacci has tallied a respectable 12 goals and 34 points over 65 games as a rookie.

However, Farinacci has been struggling offensively lately, failing to score a goal in 14 games since February 24. During that goalless stretch, he has managed just 3 assists, with 2 coming in one game. His lack of production highlights the difficulty of transitioning from college to the pros, as he has never played more than 31 games in a season, and that dates back to his freshman year at Harvard.

Farinacci possesses the hockey sense of a seasoned veteran, allowing him to make plays down the middle or on the wing. His high hockey IQ enables him to impact both ends of the ice. I anticipate he will take a step forward production-wise next season in the AHL.

If his offensive skills don’t translate to the NHL level, he could still carve out a role as a defensive third-line center who kills penalties, excels on faceoffs, and chips in some offense. Those versatile two-way players are valuable assets for any team.

The player has strong offensive skills that should translate to the next level. He is an excellent passer with good vision who can find open teammates. While he has a very good shot, he could improve on disguising his release point. Additionally, he shows a strong work ethic by battling hard along the boards to retrieve pucks in the offensive zone, which allows him to gain possession and create scoring chances.

Farinacci demonstrates excellent edge control while skating, allowing him to move with great agility. His strength on his skates enables him to maneuver through opponent’s checks. Though his initial strides need refinement, once he gains momentum, he accelerates smoothly and can pull away from other skaters.

Farinacci and Blake Wheeler have eerily similar paths to the Boston Bruins. Both played high school and junior hockey in the US, competed in the NCAA, and represented Team USA at the World Juniors. Additionally, they were both drafted by the Coyotes but ultimately signed with the Bruins after failing to come to terms with the Coyotes. The sole difference is that Farinacci played for Team USA at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, while Wheeler did not.

That by no means is to suggest Farinacci will turn into Wheeler.

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