Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports reports Arizona Coyotes draft pick John Farinacci is unlikely to sign with the team that drafted him. Farinacci is a 22-year-old forward who just finished his senior season with Harvard, scoring five goals and 20 points in 19 games. The Coyotes selected the 6-foot and 185 pound center in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft. He has since played three seasons at Harvard, with one year being wiped out due to Covid restrictions, and he scored 61 points in 79 career college games. With his NCAA career over, Farinacci is eligible to become an NHL free agent on August 15 if he is not signed by the Coyotes and it sounds like he will choose that route.
- On the other hand, Morgan also reports that the Coyotes are interested in getting a deal done with Sam Lipkin. Lipkin was a seventh-round draft pick of the Coyotes in the 2021 NHL Draft. The 20-year-old forward just finished his first college season, helping Quinnipiac win a national championship by scoring 14 goals and 43 points in 39 games. Lipkin, a skilled 6-foot-3 and 192 pound center has proven to be worthy of more than a seventh-round pick and would be a big addition to the Coyotes prospect pool if they can get a deal done.
- Another possible college signing to keep an eye on is Ryan Johnson. Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reports that the Buffalo Sabres and Johnson had a zoom meeting and though things went well during the meeting, nothing official was put in place. Johnson has been a great two-way defender for Minnesota for the past four seasons, putting up four goals and 18 points in 40 games this season while playing a shutdown style and penalty killing role for a defensively sound squad. Johnson was the Sabres first-round pick in 2019 and would be another terrific young player on the Sabres squad if they are able to get a deal done. If not, Johnson has the option to become a free agent in August.
Hey Ken, link is on the wrong Ryan Johnson.