The Anaheim Ducks announced that they have acquired forward Sean Farrell from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forward Sasha Pastujov. Both players remain without contracts for the 2026-27 season.
Farrell, 24, used to be an intriguing prospect for the Canadiens. Montreal drafted him from the USHL’s Chicago Steel with the 124th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Draft. Farrell dominated in the USHL in his post-draft season, scoring 29 goals and 101 points in 53 games.
The Milton, MA native continued his development at Harvard University. Farrell became an integral part of a resurgent Crimson team, scoring 30 goals and 81 points in 58 games, helping Harvard reach back-to-back ECAC Hockey championships and two trips to the National Tournament.
Unfortunately, apart from a brief six-game period after signing his entry-level contract, Farrell has received few opportunities with the Canadiens and wasn’t likely to anytime soon. Still, he’s been a solid performer with the AHL’s Laval Rocket, scoring 46 goals and 125 points in 186 career games.
Meanwhile, it’s been much of the same for Pastujov. He was drafted slightly higher than Farrell, going to the Ducks with the 66th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Furthermore, he’s had nearly identical production to Farrell at the AHL level. In the last three years, outside of a brief stint in the ECHL, Pastujov has played for the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, scoring 48 goals and 125 points in 160 games. Pastujov arguably has a slightly higher offensive ceiling than Farrell, but both players could have used a fresh start.