Alongside best buddy Morgan Frost, the Flames acquired Joel Farabee last January in a deal with the Philadelphia Flyers. Since then, Farabee has struggled to find his role on this transitioning Calgary Flames squad. However, since the departure of key leaders like Mackenzie Weegar and Nazem Kadri, the Cicero, New York native has stepped up in both the Flames dressing room and on the ice.
What Farabee Brings
The Flyers drafted Joel Farabee in 2018 at 14th overall. His game has always been pretty straightforward. He’s a solid two-way power forward who plays a very “meat and potatoes” style of hockey. He backchecks hard, is aggressive on the forecheck, isn’t scared to drop the mitts when required, and can be a reliable secondary scoring threat in the right environment.
Where Does He Fit In The Lineup?
At 26 years old, Farabee is no longer a young prospect trying to find his footing in the national league. That said, he’s also not a tenured veteran quite yet. It seems the biggest problem with Farabee, dating back to his time with the Flyers organization, is “where does he fit in the lineup?” and, “can he stay consistent?”
Farabee posted two 20-goal seasons and two 15-goal plus seasons in five and a half seasons in Philly. In the 24–25 season, the winger was in the worst slump of his young NHL career. He tallied eight goals and 11 assists in 50 games played, his lowest point totals since his rookie campaign in the 2019–20 season. With Farabee primarily playing on the “Broad Street Bully’s” third and fourth line. Upon his trade to the Flames, this continued, as he played predominantly on Calgary’s third line. His first impression with the Flames wasn’t strong, finishing the season with three goals and three assists whilst wearing the flaming C.
How He’s Looked This Season
In this year’s lacklustre 2025–26 campaign, Farabee posted 23 points in 59 games played before Conroy blew it up. Conroy shipped out key veteran players, signalling the start of a new era for the Flames. Following the deadline, Farabee is now part of the club’s first and second lines. He has posted eight points in 14 games played. Most notably, a 3-point game against the Carolina Hurricanes in a 5–4 Flames win on March 7th. Overall, he has been taking advantage of the increase in ice time post-deadline.
Embracing A Leadership Role
Nazem Kadri and Mackenzie Weegar were both instrumental pieces of the leadership group in Calgary. With them gone, the newly acquired Zach Whitecloud and Farabee had “A’s” sewn onto their sweaters. Farabee has been a welcome addition, and the Flames don’t need him to necessarily be the most prominent voice in the dressing room. That role is still reserved for Mikael Backlund, after all. Farabee’s responsible “lead by example” play on the ice is what this fresh young core of guys need to finish out this season and going forward in the seasons that follow.
The culture of the Flames has been an ongoing storyline for the past couple of seasons. Even with some of the key founders of that culture heading to greener pastures, it’s guys like Farabee taking the reins that keep that culture alive.
Farabee has two years left on his current deal, with an AAV of five million per season. The chances of Craig Conroy and company trading Farabee at next year’s deadline will most likely depend on the quality of his play in the 2026–27 season, and whether or not he can take that next stride in growing his game. Given his age, there is absolutely still room for him as part of the solution for Calgary.