There were a lot of rumors this weekend that the 14th overall pick from the 2018 NHL Draft was going to sign his entry level contract and turn pro, and it turns out they were completely right. As announced on his personal Instagram page, and then by the team, future Philadelphia Flyers forward Joel Farabee has signed his ELC beginning with the 2019-20 season.
OFFICIAL 📜✍️: @FarabeeJoel has inked an ELC with the #Flyers, effective the start of the 2019-20 season! https://t.co/sDbwifoOSO
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 25, 2019
Farabee was selected with the second first round pick from the St. Louis Blues in the Brayden Schenn trade, the first was of course used to select Morgan Frost. In his first, and only, year at Boston University, Farabee played in 37 games and had 17 goals, 19 assists — leading the team in both goals and points.
It is unlikely we will see Farabee in a Flyers uniform this season — the 19 year old is 6’1” and 170 pounds according to both Elite Prospects and the BU official site. He will need to bulk up before he is able to play against NHL talent. With this move, he will be able to join the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and begin building chemistry and relationships with the next wave of Flyers talent including Morgan Frost, Isaac Ratcliffe, German Rubtsov, and potentially Wade Allison and Tanner Laczynski.
Farabee is the first Flyers pick from the 2018 draft class to sign a contract — the draft class also included Jay O’Brien, Adam Ginning, John St. Ivany, Wyatte Wylie, Samuel Ersson, Gavin Hain, and Markus Westfalt.
