Joel Farabee Highlights Impact Of Healthy Offseason, Praises Flyers Young Core
At just 24 years old, Joel Farabee has established himself as an up-and-coming leader within the Philadelphia Flyers, having been with the organization since getting drafted in 2018.
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports - Joel Farabee Highlights Impact Of Healthy Offseason, Praises Flyers Young CoreAt just 24 years old, Joel Farabee has established himself as an up-and-coming leader within the Philadelphia Flyers, having been with the organization since getting drafted in 2018.
From taking young incoming players under his wing (and giving them a place to stay if they need it) to fiercely defending his teammates to being able to reflect honestly on his performance this season, Farabee has emerged as a prominent figure in this famous Flyers locker room.
Part of why he felt confident heading into this season, where he put up some career-high numbers, was getting a healthy offseason after dealing with a neck injury.
"I felt probably the best I've ever felt heading into a season," he said. "I've spent every summer here since I got drafted, so it's been really good for me. I feel like I really pushed myself really hard this past summer. I feel like right when the season started, I felt super strong and really good, probably planning to do a lot of the same this summer. Just keep going from there, obviously."
Those positive feelings extended beyond himself, as he was full of praise for how the team responded to being heavily doubted going into the 2023-24 stretch.
"You look at what everyone said about us before the year and where they thought we were going to be, [and] I think we just used it as fuel the whole year just to prove people wrong," he said. "We had a lot of guys that, whether coming off injury or coming off a down year they had a lot to prove. I think we banded together on how good of a season we had and how many good stretches we had, it definitely gives us a lot of confidence heading into the next year. We kind of set a standard the last two years on how we need to play to win in this league. We feel really confident about our team game and playing Flyers hockey."
One bright spot for Farabee, as a key member of the young core the team plans to build around going forward, was just how much the younger players flourished this season.
"I think a lot of the young guys made huge strides," he acknowledged. "I could go down the list of basically all the rookies I think got a lot better. Tyson [Foerster], [Cam York], Bobby [Brink] just to name a few. Guys that just really, really came in and some of them were trying to make the team to start and then once they did, they just took off from there. It's definitely exciting to see from such young guys, how good they played. They're a huge part of this team going forward. I think it's great to see."
Even in the face of all of the adversity this team had to face, one of the biggest lessons this group has learned from Farabee's perspective has been the ability to focus on what they can control and let go of what they can't.
"We obviously can't control a lot of the stuff that happens with the media or whatever it is," he said. "As a pro, you just have to come in and it's business. I think the group handled it really well. Like I said, there's a lot of stuff going on and I think we all kind of just stuck together. We did that the whole year. We just kind of stayed as a group. When you're playing for each other, I think it shows out there. I feel like I'm really proud of the group for how we handled a lot of stuff."
Despite putting up career-high numbers, he saw his production dip after the All-Star Break, which was frustrating for him, but something he's able to take in stride and improve during the offseason.
"Yeah, I think any year after the All-Star Break, the games get a lot harder," he said. "I think my role on the team to where I was playing, I think I'm one of those guys that can play up and down the lineup for sure. I think when you're playing third and fourth line, sometimes you have to give up some of the offense to focus on the defensive game and focus on the D side of things.
"For me, with whatever role I was given, I tried to do that to my best ability. I wish I could have produced a lot more and helped the team in that aspect...Personally, I would have liked to help a lot more and produce more, but the past is the past. It sucks. I take a lot of responsibility for a lot of that stuff, and I definitely need to be a lot better."
That versatility on the ice is something he considers a strength, and his ability to roll with the punches is one that he'll take into next season.
"I think one of the things that I pride myself on is being able to play many different spots," he said. "Obviously, personally, I'd love to be solidified in the top six and play as much as I can. At the end of the day, it's a long season and things change. Guys are playing well at certain times. It's not something that I need to lock into one spot or anything like that. Like I said earlier, whatever role I'm given that night, I really try to do to the best of my ability."
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