With recalibrated focus, Frost and Farabee thriving early for Flames

CALGARY – Ever since they arrived in Calgary via private jet, Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee have been inextricably linked.

So excited were the Flames to land a centre and a 20-goal winger five weeks before last year’s trade deadline, ownership sent a swanky PJ to Philadelphia to get the duo assimilated to Calgary as quickly as possible.

Neither managed to have the initial impact the club anticipated, prompting Farabee, for one, to say at his exit meetings he was “embarrassed” by his second-half showing.

A new season, new outlook and recalibrated focus have given “Frostabee” hope they can contribute meaningfully to a team searching desperately to score more goals this season.

So far, so good, as the two have been bright spots throughout the pre-season.

Kicking off the exhibition slate on the same line, the two former Flyers roomies accounted for all three goals in a split-squad game in Edmonton, including a greasy overtime winner by Frost.

“Two goals,” chuckled Frost of his fall opener, “I think I scored three goals in my whole time here last year.

“Hopefully I can continue that a little bit more. I’m an offensive player, so I think If I’m not doing that I’ve really got to lean into the other sides of the game. It’s something I’m working on, to be able to contribute when I’m not scoring.”

As the team’s third-line centre, his focus this year revolves around playing a grittier game, earning the trust of coaches defensively, winning more faceoffs and generating more offence.

He’s been the Flames’ most prolific player so far this fall, responding to some top-line assignments by leading the team — and the NHL — with six points in four games.

Farabee has played three games, adding two points and has shown increased savvy as a penalty killer. He also demonstrated plenty of moxie in an exhibition game in Abbotsford, where he dropped the gloves with six-foot-five, 231-pound Joseph LaBate – a journeyman who is five inches and 45 pounds heavier than him.

Frost has led all forwards in average ice time (18:37) while building significant chemistry of late with Matt Coronato — a combo few anticipated seeing.

On Monday, Frost’s line with Coronato and Matvei Gridin was the team’s best, scoring the team’s only goal in a 2-1 win capped by Gridin’s shootout winner.

Farabee won’t put a number to it, but if the two-time 20-goal man can return to the form that landed him 22 goals and 50 points a few years back, it would be a huge boost for a third line that saw the two score just three goals apiece in their combined 63 games.

“Obviously I’m paid pretty well here, so to not produce and not help the team as much as I’d like, it weighs on me for sure,” said Farabee, 25, entering year four of a six-year deal paying him $5 million annually.

“I take a lot of pride doing my job, so when things aren’t going my way I’m definitely pretty hard on myself.”

After spending the first two months of the summer working on his stride and skate issues, he returned to Calgary with the goal of trying to alleviate the pressure he put on himself to produce.

They haven’t played together since opening night, but they remain a combo the coaching staff feels comfortable reuniting at any time.

“We talk all the time off the ice and we played together in Philly, so we kind of know where each other is going to be, and I think we can use that to our advantage for sure,” said Farabee, an 11-goal scorer last year who will be counted on to be a chief penalty killer.

“I feel like we’re kind of in a similar spot, we’re kind of out of that young guy age, and now it’s ‘what are you going to do with the opportunity you get.”

Frost is certainly thriving early on, as evidenced by his recent production and a concerted effort to improve in the faceoff circle, where he went 11 of 13 Monday to up his pre-season success rate to 56.5 per cent.

Farabee also feels he’s starting to find his stride in Calgary.

“It’s just nice to be settled,” said Farabee.

“When we got here, they obviously took care of so many things, but for us it just kind of felt like we were on the road, hotel to hotel, living in an Airbnb.

“I realize my role here is probably middle six and penalty kill, being good on the defensive side of the puck and producing a little more than I did last year.”

Frost signed a two-year extension this summer for $4.375 million annually, and wants to be counted on to take key faceoffs and be on the ice late in close games.
However, fans will likely measure his and Farabee’s worth based largely on how close they come to scoring 20 goals apiece.

“The challenge for Frosty is to make sure there is consistency in what he does and there’s intention as well,” said coach Ryan Huska, who used Frost plenty on the power play last season, where the shifty playmaker was key in executing zone entries.

“So we ask him to not only help us offensively, but my expectation from him is he’s going to be counted on defensively. Whether it’s a faceoff or he’s playing against the top line I think he’s been around the league long enough to be ready to accept and handle that challenge.”

Indeed, challenge accepted.

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