On July 27, the Anaheim Ducks traded AHL forward Sasha Pastujov to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for AHL forward Sean Farrell. The next day, Farrell was signed to a one-year, two-way contract worth an AAV of $850k.

Farrell (24) was selected by the Habs with the 124th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft out of the Chicago Steel of the USHL. The versatile forward had been highly productive at every level he’d played at prior to professional hockey.

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He returned to the USHL for the season following his draft and scored 101 points (29-72=101) in 52 games. He played the next two seasons (2021-2023) at Harvard University in the NCAA, where he totaled 81 points (30-51=81) in 58 games. He finished the 2022-23 season in the NHL and scored a goal in six games.

Farrell spent the next three seasons with the Laval Rocket in the AHL, unable to translate his prior production, and scored 125 points (46-79=125) in 186 games, adding 12 points (3-9=12) in 18 playoff games.

He has every skill necessary to play a role as at least a middle-six NHL forward except for size (5-foot-10, 174 pounds). He’s shifty and smart with plus puck skills and creativity to find teammates in dangerous locations in any situation. His lack of a “B game” and need for an offensive role have likely been the primary factors in his inability to break into the NHL.

Farrell has ties within the Ducks organization, dating back to playing alongside forward Sam Colangelo (36th overall in 2020) at the U16 AAA level with the Boston Jr. Bruins in 2015-16. He played alongside Colangelo and defenseman Ian Moore (67th in ’20) with the Steel. He played with forward Judd Caulfield (145th in ’19) and defenseman Drew Helleson (47th in ’19) at the USNTDP U17 division. At Harvard, again, he played two seasons alongside Moore (67th in ’20).

Farrell has represented the United States at the U18 World Championships in 2019 (alongside Helleson), where he notched two assists in seven games, the 2022 Olympic Games (alongside Helleson), where he led the team in scoring with six points (3-3=6) in four games, and at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships (alongside forward Cutter Gauthier), totaling eight points (3-5=8) in 20 games.

Farrell can play either on the wing or in the middle of the ice, and with the Ducks organizational depth chart projecting somewhat thin at center, it’s possible he could have a role as the San Diego Gulls top-line center in the AHL and have a shot for an early call-up, should the Ducks sustain an injury at the position.

In the trade, the Ducks parted ways with Pastujov (23), who the Ducks had previously selected in the third round (66th in ’21) of the NHL Draft. He provided two consecutive productive seasons for the Gulls in 2024-25 and 2025-26, leading the team in points per game with 102 (38-64=102) in 114 games, and finishing his Gulls career with 125 points (48-77=125) in 160 games.

Pastujov, like Farrell, needed an offensive role if he were to be awarded a shot at the NHL level and lacked a refined game away from the puck. His skating was always a significant drawback and the likely reason for a lack of development in terms of a forechecking or two-way game.

Ultimately, it’s unlikely a prolonged NHL career is in the cards for either Farrell or Pastujov at this point in their careers. For the Ducks, Farrell offers them more of a stylistic fit as well as versatility in the lineup at whatever level he plays at.

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