Joel Farabee
Farabee is a top-line left winger on the first power-play unit and first penalty-kill unit, so his role looks secure for now. The open question is who centers him.
Role
Daily Faceoff's line page (fetched; last updated 25 October, built from the 24 October game vs. Detroit) has him at left wing on line 1 with Ben Jones and Matt Coronato. The same page has him on the first power-play unit with Morgan Frost, Coronato, Matvei Gridin and Zayne Parekh. It also has him on the first penalty-kill unit with Yegor Sharangovich, Jacob Middleton and Zach Whitecloud. Frozen Tools' last-game lines (indexed snippet, not fetched) show 10:25 at even strength with Jones and Coronato in that game. Last season he had 6 power-play points in 10 games, and this power-play spot fits that. The competition for the work is at center: Mikael Backlund is out injured and close to a return (FlamesNation, 26 October), and Jones fills in until then. I did not find his ice time for this season.
He holds three jobs: top-line left wing, first power-play unit and first penalty-kill unit. FlamesNation's 26 October projections have him on line 1 in every scenario it mapped (Backlund back, Honzek back, Huberdeau back). Backlund's return would give him a veteran center, and the preseason FlamesNation piece said he had shined with Backlund last season. Coach Ryan Huska says he wants a four-line team, but the projections still keep Farabee on the top line and the top power-play unit.
Calgary's even-strength minutes are being spread across four lines. Huska said the club will play four lines, and he said the fourth line's minutes have been "way up there." Farabee's current center, Jones, is a recall expected to go back to the AHL once Backlund returns. FlamesNation noted that in Backlund's absence the club has not been using its top line the way it does when Backlund can be sent against the opponent's best players. FlamesNation's preseason view had him on a shutdown line with Backlund and Honzek, a role more suited to defensive work than scoring. The team started 4-6-0, and FlamesNation described that start as rough. Last season's 10 games and 10 points are too small a sample to project from.
Where analysts split
The disagreement is about line type and linemates, not whether he plays. The preseason FlamesNation piece (about 53 days old) projected a defensive shutdown line of Honzek, Backlund and Farabee. The current projections have him with Backlund and Coronato, in a more offensive role. Daily Faceoff's September offseason page had him on the second power-play unit, while its 25 October page and the 24 October game preview have him on the first. Whether he stays on the first unit when the roster is healthy has not been reported.
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
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