Joel Farabee wins 2019 Tim Taylor Award as college hockey's Rookie of the Year

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Joel Farabee is turning pro in 2019-20.

He'll take an impressive accolade with him to finish off his one-and-done college career.

The Flyers' prospect was named the 2019 Tim Taylor Award winner for national Rookie of the Year.

Among the nation's freshmen, Farabee finished tied for second in goals (17) and third in points (36). He led Boston University in goals, points, power-play goals (five), shorthanded goals (three), game-winning goals (five), plus-minus (plus-4) and shots (131).

"I expected him to step right in," U.S. under-18 head coach John Wroblewski said this month in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia (see story). "You could see his impact right away for us when he was a U-17 player and got called up as a U-18, you knew that he was a special prospect and the team that got him would be really lucky."

The Flyers selected the goal-scoring winger 14th overall in the 2018 draft. Farabee will open next season with either the Flyers or AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley, the latter being more likely.

"We're going to actively look outside to see if we can find a couple people to add to make this team stronger," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said Monday. "I hope this team gets to be a harder team to make as we continue to get deeper and add players. Obviously, of course somebody can come in and make the team, but they're going to have to earn it. We're not looking to just put players on the team. 

"I think the American League is a great developmental league. I think it's an important place for most players to spend some time. Having said that, I don't like cutting players in April. There are some talented kids coming out of junior, coming out of college. We'll let their play determine how they do."

Farabee wasn't the only Flyers prospect to have a big freshman season. Noah Cates, a 2017 fifth-round pick, has 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 39 games for the University of Minnesota Duluth, which plays Massachusetts Saturday night in the national championship.

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