Farrance Building Off Early NHL Experiences During Preds Development Camp

David Farrance admitted he was a bit awestruck when he stepped onto the ice for his first NHL game a few months ago.
The dream for every young hockey player is to one day make it to the best League in the world, and on April 8, 2021, Farrance became one of the lucky few when he suited up for the Predators in Detroit.
He'll never forget that night - a 7-1 Nashville win that saw him skate 13:46 with one shot on goal in the winning effort - but the-then 21-year-old defenseman was certainly happy to have the first one out of the way.

"In game one, you're just a little nervous and it's almost like an out-of-body experience where you can't believe you're on the ice with some of the guys that you've been watching on TV your whole life," Farrance said of his initial NHL experience. "I definitely think game two I was a little more comfortable, kind of just playing my own game and really sorting it out myself, trying to see what works and what doesn't. So, yeah, I'd say game two was a lot more comfortable for me."
That second-career outing came on May 10 in Nashville as the Preds concluded their 2020-21 regular season with a 5-0 shutout victory over Carolina. Farrance logged 28 shifts with almost a full 10 minutes more of ice time compared to his first game while showing flashes of what he's capable of at the NHL level.
As one of just two skaters with NHL experience at Predators Development Camp, Farrance has continued to display that elite skillset during the week while helping to lead the group of defensemen in attendance.
Everyone takes a different path to reach this juncture, and Farrance is no different. Now 22, one of college hockey's former top defensemen has turned pro following his four-year collegiate career at Boston University, and his NHL journey is just beginning.

"It just takes time, but I think it's been a good process for him," Predators Director of Player Development Scott Nichol said of Farrance. "Even just last year, he finished his time at BU, he signed his contract, he came in and walked the walk with everybody else who came in. They could see how guys train, how they prepare, they watch games, get to hang out with [fellow BU alum Dante] Fabbro, and now he goes about his business and is being very professional. Now, you see him at Development Camp here, he's lost some weight, he's leaned out a little bit and just looks a lot more confident."
That confidence has been evident on the ice this week, and Farrance's experience with the Preds as they concluded their regular season and entered the playoffs last spring certainly added to that comfort level for the blueliner.
"It's been a good experience to see some of the elite guys play like [Roman] Josi and [Ryan Johansen] and [Matt Duchene]," Farrance said. "It's good to see how they go through the routine before a game or practice. It's been a heck of an experience, and I'm just trying to kind of use that in my game a little bit."
The Predators are hopeful Farrance will one day become an NHL regular just like those he's looking up to for now, and the remainder of Development Camp, coupled with his showings in the upcoming Rookie Camp and Training Camp in September, will ultimately determine where he begins the new season.
Regardless of his address come October, Farrance's potential is vast, and the Preds want the 2017 third-round pick to show just how far he's come since then. If anything, those first-game nerves have already subsided.
"I want him to be the best player on the ice [at Rookie Camp]," Nichol said of Farrance. "I want him to lead. He should be leading the charge, be one of the leaders who carries that confidence, that swagger into main camp. Now, you're playing against [Filip] Forsberg and Johansen and Duchene, and I want him to be the same player that way. And then he also has exhibition games in the NHL, so it's a really good runway for him to showcase what he can do and play his style."