Farabee has two traits that I see in Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill’s drafting.
He has character. Nill likes to draft prospects that are known to be leaders on their teams. He looks for prospects that are going to be good for the organization both on and off the ice. When Nill traded for Stephen Johns several years ago, he said at the time (emphasis mine), “The other thing that I love about the young man is he’s a leader on and off the ice. He’s very respected. He works in the community. He’s a character guy through and through and you can’t have enough of those guys in your organization.”
The other thing Farabee has that fits with Nill’s recent draft picks is hockey IQ. Nill likes to draft guys that can think the game well, even if that means some of their other skill sets need work. Things Farabee often gets knocked for — like power in skating or his slight frame — can be worked on. Hockey IQ is a much tougher thing to learn as a player’s career progresses.
Farabee’s two-way play will be valued by the Dallas Stars. He’s shown he can finish as well as be trusted in his own zone, and could be a key cog of the future penalty killing unit of the Stars. For a team that’s struggled in that regard for seemingly ever, that’s a skillset the organization can use.
But honestly, the biggest driver of this pick is Farabee’s speed. Combined with his two-way ability, he seems to fit the profile of a player that will be a good fit in new head coach Jim Montgomery’s system. Montgomery likes to play a very north-south style of game, and Farabee is known to push the play that direction when he’s on the ice.