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The Arizona Coyotes didn’t have a second-round pick for the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, having sent it to the Philadelphia Flyers to move up in the first round. With their second pick at the draft, they drafted Red Bank, NJ native John Farinacci.
Team: Harvard University
Regular Season Games Played: 31
Goals: 10
Assists: 12
Farinacci has had a very successful rookie season in the NCAA. The 6’0”, 190-pound rookie he was fourth on a successful team in goals scored and sixth in total points.
John Farinacci (2019 #Yotes - RD3/#76) now with seven points (4G, 3A) in his first five NCAA games with unbeaten Harvard. 2G Saturday against Yale. pic.twitter.com/PMuP1lreJ3
— Alexander Kinkopf (@AEKinkopf) November 18, 2019
His time with Harvard lead to him being named to a 2019-20 ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team along with four other players from Harvard.
Unfortunately, his NCAA season was cut short due to the coronavirus. With four players being named to the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team they seem like a team on the rise and Farinacci appears to be a big part of that.
Farinacci was drafted as a center and he could prove key for the Coyotes in the coming seasons. Like most centers, he can also play wing, and in his rookie season, he has been playing on the wing on the top line.
Like most third-rounds, it is likely going to take some time for Farinacci to develop into an NHL player. But Farinacci has taken a good first step in the development process and will he will hopefully continue to develop once hockey starts up again.