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Joel Farabee’s 2022-23 season can be described as up and down, marred by frustrations due to recovery from an injury. Farabee was unable to train properly, as he normally would do to restrictions while recovering from surgery. However, what is quite unique about the young Farabee is he takes accountability for his play last season, “No excuses I got to play better,” Farabee said last season. “I think for me I always put pressure on myself. I think everyone feels pretty good heading into the season.”
Farabee continued, “I honestly felt really good with my body and things like that.” For his efforts, Farabee has returned to his old form, and the Flyers are trying to remain in the playoffs hunt. Yes, it’s early to start talking about the playoffs, but this Flyers team gave somewhat exceeded expectations made by most pundits before the season began.
The young Farabee took a benching on the chin earlier in the season, and really has shown promise since. He’s been one of the better forwards at 5-on-5 this season. He’s just really made an impact on and off the ice.
Philly Joel continues to skate well, and is involved in the play more often than not this season. Even if he is not scoring goals, Farabee is making the right plays for the eventual goal. His on-ice awareness is key, and his hockey IQ has never wavered. Farabee continues to not only prove to his naysayers that he is healthy, but he is an up and coming star in the NHL.
“Once I figured out I wasn’t playing the rest of the game all I tried to do was be a good teammate on the bench, support my friends and teammates. I thought they did a great job battling a forward short with Garney (Garnet Hathaway) getting thrown out,” Farabee said in regards to an earlier benching, thus show he is a leader inside the locker room.
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He finished the 2022-23 season with 15 goals and 24 assists, but there was a sense of frustrations at times after a dry spell of points. This type of season was to be expected after having major summer surgery on his neck in the Summer. However, Farabee is a perfectionist and he knows his craft well, so when he can’t perform at a level he knows he can play at, a sense of frustrations obviously ensued.
Through all of this, what Farabee has proven to the fans of Philadelphia is that the Flyers should build around him. Drafted by the Flyers in 2018 at 14th overall, Farabee has seen action with the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms and the big club, where he torched his opponents.
Farabee’s style of play resonates with Philadelphia and Flyers fans in particular. He plays a 200 foot game, and is just so darn good at killing penalties. It becomes very attractive to stay up with the big club for good, based off those reasons alone. Killing penalties is a crucial attribute to have, and Farabee does it well.
What Farabee also brings is skating, and typically you know if he is a confident player with the way he skates. Farabee can skate at top speeds to push the play up the ice. He’s proven time and time again he is an excellent skater, with the agility and edge work to get by defenders in one-on-one situations, and he also possesses a great first step. Farabee is an outstanding playmaker off the wing, who possesses great vision of the ice. He is also a good defender, as Farabee remains focused and poised at killing penalties.
A 23-year-old in Farabee has 15 goals and 19 assists this season in 44 games played. He has really hit the score sheet as of late, as he owns five points (3g,2a) in the last five games played. Farabee also ranks second on the team in points (34) and third in goals (15). What more does he has to prove to show he is valuable to the orange and black’s overall success.
