Sean Farrell quickly finds his rhythm in the NCAA

MONTREAL -- With a prolific USHL career in the books, which included setting a new single-season franchise record for points and a Clark Cup win with the powerhouse Chicago Steel, there was a lot of anticipation ahead of Sean Farrell's NCAA debut.

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There were also many questions left to be answered.
It's not that Farrell lacks potential. Far from it.
The 2020 fourth-round pick has quickly become one of the most exciting prospects in the organization. His stock has risen exponentially, and not just because he earned USHL Player of the Year and USA Hockey Junior Player of the Year honors, too.
Farrell exerts the type of determination necessary for any prospect to rise through the ranks, not to mention the time management skills essential to prosper as a student-athlete as well.
"My two years with the Steel were really big for me in terms of developing and getting better as a player," said Farrell. "The organization there does such an amazing job with helping players and making sure everyone gets better every day. I'm really thankful to have landed there for a couple of years and be able to learn from those coaches. All the players wanted to get better, and we pushed each other every day."

Photo credit: Chicago Steel
But the leap from the USHL to the NCAA should never be underestimated.
You could argue it's less of a leap, and more of a televised canyon jump you'd expect to see from Evel Knievel. Until you see the motorcycle land safely on the other side, there will always be questions and concerns.
Farrell hasn't completed the journey yet, but his hot start with Harvard has quickly dissipated any apprehension regarding his progression.
He notched an impressive five goals and six assists in just seven games, but more importantly, he's quickly adapting to the rigors that come with studying at an Ivy League school.
His ability to quickly acclimate to his surroundings is due in large part to the support system surrounding the hockey team, which puts an onus on classroom success, rather than just on-ice victories.
"It's definitely a challenge at times," explains Farrell. "But it helps that all the teammates here are willing to help each other out. Everyone understands you need to work together outside of the rink to push each other in school and make sure everyone is in a good spot. Our team especially takes pride in doing well in the classroom. The culture that developed here has been very helpful for me and all the incoming players. We get right into the grind of taking classes and playing hockey at the same time."

Photo credit: Harvard Athletics
He's just getting started on the ice, and there are hundreds upon hundreds of hours left in the classroom before he earns a degree in economics, but Farrell displays the type of confidence that leads you to believe that his hot start in the NCAA isn't just a blip on the radar, rather, it's setting the standard for the rest of his college days.
He also displays the type of maturity that allows him to apply some foresight to his decision-making process.
In many ways, despite being just 20 years old, Farrell is the epitome of an old soul.
While there's no denying he has the right mindset and talent to make a significant push towards a long hockey career, he's wise enough to know that his dream of making the NHL, which started on the frozen lakes near his grandparents' cottage in Milford, MA, is far from guaranteed.
"Growing up, academics have always been very important to me and my family," he said. "When I was looking at schools, obviously I loved everything about the hockey here, the coaches and the program they built, but at the same time, there's going to be a life after hockey no matter what.
"Being at Harvard will help me prepare really well for anything that's ahead."

His most impressive offensive weapon is surely his ability to drive the play and generate high-quality scoring chances for his teammates, but he also developed a fantastic shot that relies on a quick release to fool goaltenders and defensemen alike.
He worked very hard to perfect both his playmaking and his shooting, but he credits something else for his uptick in offensive production, something that can't be taught in a single day.
"My confidence," said Farrell. "I've always been an offensive player, but over time, I became more confident to make plays, go to the net and shoot more pucks, and that's really helped me over the last couple of years create more chances and create more plays."
There's clearly a lot to like about Farrell's on-ice impact, but there's even more to appreciate about his humble approach to dissecting his development.
He's quick to credit his family, teammates, and coaches for his progression, all the while knowing that he must do more to maintain the borderline elite level of production he established in the last couple of years.
He added some muscle mass, but plans to become even stronger as he progresses through the ranks. He also improved his shot, but wants to keep fine-tuning it so he can continue to beat opposing netminders wherever he plays.

In fact, much of what he says reminds me of another Canadiens draft pick, a self-described hockey nerd that goes by the name of Cole Caufield.
Like Caufield, Farrell absorbs the information provided to him fast, and he's hell-bent on improving by any means necessary, including studying the playing style of Johnny Gaudreau and Brad Marchand, and spending as much time as possible dissecting video of his own games.
Of course, the two differ at the source; one is a sniper and the other is a playmaker.
One is starting his NCAA career, whereas the other has dipped his toes in the waters of professional hockey.
And despite their different trajectories, it's hard not to allow yourself to dream a little about potentially seeing both of them on the same line at the same time on Bell Centre ice.
That will have to wait, but for now, the former US National U18 teammates have maintained contact, including a special message from Caufield when the Canadiens chose Farrell in the Draft.

No, not the tweet from Caufield that described the pick as a steal, though, it certainly seems like Caufield may have a little soothsayer in him.
It was a quick text message following the selection, which congratulated Farrell and welcomed him into the Canadiens family that made the biggest impact.
"I thought the tweet was pretty funny," said Farrell. "Obviously, it was really nice of him. It was really great to hear from him right away and to hear how excited he was. He was an awesome teammate and a good friend in the program, so that was nice."
The former Steel steal has a lot of hockey left to play before ascending to the NHL, but if his maturity and production at various levels are any indication, it would be unwise to bet against him.
QMJHL standouts
Joshua Roy continues to impress with the Sherbrooke Phoenix. Not only is he tied for first overall in League scoring, but he also managed to lead his team into the Top 10 CHL rankings.
Xavier Simoneau can also be found among the best scorers in the League thanks to a fantastic start with the Charlottetown Islanders, including seven goals and 21 assists in 15 games.
When it comes to scoring, Riley Kidney isn't too far behind his fellow Canadiens draft picks, currently enjoying a comfortable position within the Top 10 with the potential to slingshot up the rankings in the near future thanks to Hendrix Lapierre's return to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
Best of the rest
2020 first-round pick Kaiden Guhle isn't just leading the Prince Albert Raiders in a figurative sense. Yes, he's their captain, but the defenseman is also literally leading them in scoring, having notched 12 points in 12 games.
Jan Mysak is also wearing a letter on his jersey this season as alternate captain for the Hamilton Bulldogs, and just like Guhle, he's maintaining an impressive point-per-game pace, having registered 10 goals and six assists in 14 games.
And finally, Jakub Dobeš has consistently turned heads since arriving at Ohio State. The HCA Rookie of the Month is producing the type of numbers you'd see in a video game. Dobeš has allowed a paltry 12 goals against in nine games this season, saving 94.6 percent of the shots he faced in the process.
Check back soon as we continue to explore the exciting world of Canadiens prospects with a weekly focus on one player.