Staying in the Maritimes
Dallas Farrell looking forward to next chapter with St. FX X-Men
A hockey stick and a pair of skates have taken Dallas Farrell across the country and south of the border.
“Yeah, I’ve been everywhere,” he said in a recent interview.
“You never really know where you’re going to be as a hockey player the next year. … To know I started my junior hockey in Boston and ended it in Pictou, I couldn't have told you that before, but I wouldn't rewrite it any other way.”
His next chapter will provide him a stable place to play and study business relatively close to home.
The 20-year-old Roseneath native has committed to play for the St. FX X-Men this fall.
Farrell left eastern P.E.I. to attend Grade 9 at Notre Dame in Wilcox, Sask. He was among a handful of Islanders who went to the famed prep school that year.
He played 2 ½ seasons for the Hounds and Argos. During that time, Farrell also suited up with Team P.E.I. at the 2015 Canada Games in Prince George, B.C. He skated on a line with Evan Gallant and Blake Jamieson.
After Notre Dame, Farrell came back to the East Coast, playing in Providence, R.I., and Boston, Mass., as he prepared for university hockey.
“I knew university would be the route that I wanted to go … from a young age,” Farrell said. “I kind of just wanted to get my education because I know how important it is to fall back on.”
Looking for a change after two years in Boston, he went west again, this time playing for the Coquitlam Express of the British Columbia Hockey League. The junior A circuit counts Brett Hull, Glenn Anderson, Mark Reechi, Paul Kariya, Milan Lucic, Carey Price and Cale Makar among its alumni.
After a good season in Coquitlam, he was traded to the Wenatchee Wild in Washington state. He was dealt early in the season to a team in Saskatchewan, but Farrell didn’t report and asked to be traded closer to home.
Enter the Pictou County Weeks Crushers.
“Knowing the quality of player Dallas is, obviously, we didn't waste any time, and I contacted Saskatchewan right away,” Crushers’ general manager Chad McDavid said.
After close to two weeks, a deal was finalized, and Farrell was heading from P.E.I. to northeastern Nova Scotia.
It was music to Farrell’s ears and would reunite him with his former Canada Games linemate from Abram-Village.
“When I got there, Gally (Evan Gallant) was awesome. He was the first guy I texted whenever I got traded to Pictou,” Farrell said.
He said the coaching staff, management, billet family and teammates were very welcoming.
Gallant took him under his wing and showed him the ropes as Farrell got used to his new surroundings.
The 200-foot player with a good shot and playmaking abilities proved to be a good fit for the Crushers.
“When Dallas arrived in Pictou, it was exciting times for our group,” McDavid said. “We felt we were missing that impact player, and Dallas immediately contributed to the success of our program.”
The Crushers caught fire in November and December.
“We skyrocketed basically from the bottom of our division to the top of our division, and Dallas was a huge part of that,” McDavid said.
Looking back, Farrell knew he had to prove himself upon his return to the Maritimes as he looked to secure a spot to play in 2020-21.
“I think some people saw that, and it kind of worked out in my favour,” he said.
When St. FX officials reached out, he was very interested and is happy to have the chance to play for the X-Men next season.
Farrell said playing in nearby New Glasgow, he had a chance to learn about St. FX, which is located about 60 kilometres east in Antigonish. Playing in the Atlantic University Sport conference will also provide a chance for his mother, Amy, grandparents and other family members to see him play more in person.
McDavid said he was pleased to see Farrell’s hard work pay off.
“When we met at Christmastime and started to talk about next season, St. FX was at the top of his list. He worked extremely hard to put himself in a position to have St. FX … recruit him.”