Photo by Zack Hill - Philadelphia Flyers PR
Syracuse, N.Y. native, Joel Farabee, is in the first year of a six-year, $30 million contract extension he signed back in 2021. This is the third year in a row Farabee has seen the team trading away players at the NHL Trade Deadline.
“This time of year, when you’re not in a playoff spot, it does suck. You end up losing some guys but Mac and Brownie are two really good players and they played their hearts out every night here,” said Farabee, when he was asked about how he felt about the roster after the trades that took place on Friday. Farabee also wished them the best and said he hopes they both go on long playoff runs with their new teams.
Farabee was also asked about the team’s newest acquisition, Brendan Lemieux, who was part of the MacEwen trade with the Los Angeles Kings. He confirmed he had not previously known Lemieux and just briefly had the chance to talk to him before practice Saturday morning. “He gets under guys’ skin, he plays hard, and he seems like a really good guy,” Farabee said about Lemieux.
“I don’t think the guys in the room really look at it any different. We have no control on who goes where or what happens. All we can do each day is come to the rink and try to get better each day. We really can’t focus on things like that,” said Farabee when comparing the feeling of this trade deadline to the feeling of last year’s deadline when franchise icon and former captain, Claude Giroux was traded from the team.
About a year ago, after the trade deadline, the Flyers only had three natural centers on the NHL roster. Farabee stepped in and helped fill out the lineup by playing down the middle for the final 20 games of the year. With the again limited with center options, Farabee was asked if he was approached about being moved back there again to finish out the season. He responded with “I don’t expect it to happen but I think I’ve shown in my career I can play center if we’re in a pinch. I don’t think they’re in any rush to move me to center.”
Farabee’s former linemate for a period of time last season, Derick Brassard, now with the Ottawa Senators, recently played in his 1,000th career NHL game. Playing in 1,000 games is regarded as a very special achievement for a player. Brassard became the 377th skater in NHL to reach the milestone. Farabee’s message to Brassard was simple, “What a career. I was reading [about it] the other day, what an accomplishment to play 1,000 games is hard enough and to do it with that many teams, what a credit to him. He’s a great player, great guy. He was really great to me as an older guy. I really wish him the best, really cool for him.”
The Flyers next play at home on Sunday night against the Detroit Red Wings. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 6PM EST.
