Bruins bolster middle depth by signing former Harvard captain John Farinacci to entry-level contract

Bruins

John Farinacci was thought of one of many prime collegiate gamers out there after the Coyotes misplaced his draft rights.

Harvard University forward John Farinacci (25) skates during the second period of an NCAA hockey game against Ohio State on Friday, March 24, 2023, in Bridgeport, Conn.
Farinacci, 22, was initially taken by the Arizona Coyotes within the third spherical (76th total) of the 2019 Draft. (AP Photograph/Greg M. Cooper)

With the Bruins in determined want of assist down the center, Don Sweeney and Boston’s front-office employees went the collegiate route with a purpose to strengthen their middle depth.

The Bruins introduced Wednesday afternoon that they’ve signed Harvard middle John Farinacci to a two-year entry-level contract with an annual NHL cap hit of $910,000.

The 6-foot, 185-pound ahead was one of the vital coveted collegiate free brokers out available on the market. Farinacci, 22, was initially taken by the Arizona Coyotes within the third spherical (76th total) of the 2019 Draft.

However Farinacci didn’t signal his entry-level contract with Arizona, with the Coyotes formally dropping their unique rights on him on Tuesday.

A right-shot pivot, Farinacci performed three seasons with the Crimson, scoring 25 objectives and posting 61 whole factors in 79 video games. Regardless of lacking the primary half of the 2022-23 season resulting from harm, Farinacci closed out his profession with 10 objectives and 19 factors in simply 20 video games as a senior.

He gained a gold medal for Staff USA within the 2021 World Junior Championships, scoring 5 objectives and recording seven factors over seven video games.

Although Farinacci hails from Purple Financial institution, New Jersey, he has loads of native ties to the world past his collegiate squad.

The nephew of former Bruin (and Harvard coach) Ted Donato — and cousin of former Bruin Ryan Donato — Farinacci performed two seasons at Dexter Southfield College in Brookline from 2017-19.

Farinacci will probably open the 2023-24 season down with the Windfall Bruins, however ought to get some prolonged appears to be like with the NHL membership throughout coaching camp and preseason motion. A poised middle identified for his two-way skillset, Farinacci is already probably thought of certainly one of Boston’s prime middle prospects alongside Matthew Poitras.

“Of the gamers out there, Farinacci has the brightest NHL outlook,” Flo Hockey wrote of Farinacci. “He’s a 6-foot, 190-pound right-shot middle who performs a robust two-way recreation. … He’s a mature participant, who has a superb work ethic on the ice, performs a gritty model down low and is aware of find out how to get to the web. He may simply slot into a company in a depth function, doubtlessly taking part in within the NHL instantly in the proper scenario. It’s extra probably, nevertheless, that he begins within the AHL.”