Can Joel Farabee continue to be a Sophomore stud?

Throughout the National Hockey League, many players have fallen victim to the curse of the sophomore slump.  That has been defined as when a rookie performs better in their first year as opposed to their second. The sophomore slump can and has claimed many players.  It is not only the lack of scoring and ice time that can cause this, it also comes down to a lack of chemistry among the linemates. Flyers forward Joel Farabee is much different.

By way of background, Farabee was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers during the 2018 NHL entry draft.  Farabee made his NHL debut the following year in 2019.  It did not take long for him to make his mark. During his first year, Farabee had shown that he was a dangerous forward.  He was aggressive on the forecheck and clutch on the redirect.  He had also shown that he could generally be found around the net.

Joel Farabee has shown such skill in his agility.  Farabee often can and does play the 200-foot game that Alain Vigneault demands of his team.  The right place at the right time.  He seems to have a keen hockey sense.  Skill can be taught but some players seem to have natural talent, like Farabee.  In his first year, Farabee played 52 games.  He scored 8 goals with 13 assists to tally 21 points.

So far this season, Joel Farabee has played all 12 games, scored 6 goals with 3 assists to tally 9 points.  He recorded 4 points in his first game against the Pittsburgh Penguins by scoring 1 goal with 3 assists.  Farabee achieved his first career hat trick this season on January 31st in the game against the New Jersey Devils.

All that being said, if Joel Farabee follows this trajectory he surely will break the curse of the sophomore slump.  Only time will tell how well this young man will perform in his second year with the Flyers.