Bobby Farnham

Robert T. Farnham (born January 21, 1989) is an American professional ice hockey left winger who is currently playing for Belfast Giants in British Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL). He most recently played with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Bobby Farnham
Born (1989-01-21) January 21, 1989
North Andover, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 187 lb (85 kg; 13 st 5 lb)
Position Left Wing
Shoots Left
EIHL team
Former teams		 Belfast Giants
Pittsburgh Penguins
New Jersey Devils
Montreal Canadiens
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2012–present

Early life

Farnham was born on January 21, 1989, to Bob and Glorianne Farnham. His father played for the Brown Bears football team as well as in the Canadian Football League with the Toronto Argonauts. His mother is a member of the Demoulas family, which owns the Market Basket chain of supermarkets. Two of his uncles also played football at Brown and one of his cousins, Buddy Farnham, briefly played for the New England Patriots.[1][2]

Playing career

High school

Farnham played his first two high school seasons at Brooks School in his hometown of North Andover, Massachusetts. He helped lead Brooks to back to back ISL Division II Championships. During his sophomore season he was named Hockey Night in Boston Sophomore MVP, Eagle-Tribune Player of the Year, ISL Division II MVP, and was named to The Boston Globe All-Scholastic and All-New England Prep Division II teams. He transferred to Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts for his final two seasons. During the 2007–08 season, he served as the team's co-captain and finished with 21 goals and 30 assists. While at Phillips Academy, Farnham was also the starting third baseman for the baseball team, batting .364 as a junior and .433 as a senior and helping the team to back-to-back NE Prep Championships.[1][2]

Brown University

Prior to turning professional, Farnham attended Brown University where he played four seasons (2008–12) of NCAA Division I hockey with the Brown Bears, registering 23 goals, 31 assists, 54 points, and 128 penalty minutes in 129 games.[1][3] Farnham was named to the ECAC Hockey All-Academic team in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012, and he served as the team's alternate captain during his final season.[1] He earned a degree in Commerce, Organizations and Entrepreneurship.[1][2]

Professional
Farnham in December 2014

Because of lack of scoring in college, Farnham's agent advised him that to play professionally he would have to become an enforcer. As of January 2015 Farnham had fought 40 to 50 times, many injuries, and 100 stitches in his face.[2] On March 7, 2012, he signed an amateur tryout agreement with the Providence Bruins of the AHL. On April 12, 2012, Farnham signed an amateur tryout agreement with the Worcester Sharks.[4]

Farnham began the 2012-13 season with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL. In nine games he recorded three goals, one assist and 46 penalty minutes. On November 11, 2012, he signed a professional tryout agreement with the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. After eleven games he had two assists and 51 penalty minutes and was signed to an American Hockey League contract.[4] Farnham finished the season with 11 points and led all AHL rookies with 274 penalty minutes in 65 regular-season games.[5]

On July 5, 2013, the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL) signed Farnham to a one-year two-way contract.[6]

Farnham made his NHL debut on December 11, 2014, for the Pittsburgh Penguins in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He appeared in a total of 11 games for Pittsburgh that season. In 64 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, he tied his AHL career highs in goals (7), assists (7) and points (14).[7]

On July 13, 2015, the Penguins announced that they had re-signed Farnham to a one-year, two-way contract worth $575,000.[7] He made the Penguins opening night roster to begin the 2015–16 season.[8] Farnham was waived by Penguins after appearing in 3 games.[9] He was claimed by New Jersey Devils on October 26, 2015, and recorded a goal and an assist in his Devils debut.[10][11]

On January 14, 2016, Farnham was suspended for four games by the NHL's Department of Player Safety for an illegal hit on St. Louis Blues' forward Dmitrij Jaskin. Farnham was assessed a major for interference and a game misconduct on the play. The hit was seen as being in retaliation for a legal hit delivered to Farnham seconds earlier by Blues' player Kevin Shattenkirk.[12] As a direct result of the hit, four Blues' players chased Farnham while St. Louis forward Ryan Reaves punched Devils' forward Jordin Tootoo in a fight.[13]

As a free agent in the off-season, on July 22, 2016, Farnham signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Montreal Canadiens.[14] He played in just 3 games with the Canadiens over the course of the 2016–17 season, spending the majority of time with AHL affiliate, the St. John's IceCaps, in scoring 11 goals and 28 points in 71 games.

On August 22, 2017, as an un-signed free agent, Farnham signed a professional try-out to attend the training camp of the New York Rangers.[15] He was subsequently released without a contract from the Rangers leading into the 2017–18 season. On October 24, 2017, Farnham agreed to a professional tryout contract with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL, affiliate to the Florida Panthers.[16]

On 3 August 2019, British EIHL side Belfast Giants confirmed the signing of Farnham.[17]

Career statistics
    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2008–09 Brown University ECAC 31 4 3 7 24 — — — — —
2009–10 Brown University ECAC 36 3 8 11 14 — — — — —
2010–11 Brown University ECAC 31 8 7 15 39 — — — — —
2011–12 Brown University ECAC 31 8 13 21 51 — — — — —
2011–12 Providence Bruins AHL 3 0 0 0 4 — — — — —
2011–12 Worcester Sharks AHL 3 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
2012–13 Wheeling Nailers ECHL 9 3 1 4 46 — — — — —
2012–13 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 65 3 8 11 274 6 0 0 0 4
2013–14 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 64 7 7 14 166 12 0 0 0 30
2014–15 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 62 7 7 14 226 8 0 0 0 14
2014–15 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 11 0 0 0 24 — — — — —
2015–16 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 3 0 0 0 5 — — — — —
2015–16 New Jersey Devils NHL 50 8 2 10 92 — — — — —
2016–17 St. John's IceCaps AHL 71 11 17 28 137 4 0 0 0 2
2016–17 Montreal Canadiens NHL 3 0 0 0 17 — — — — —
2017–18 Springfield Thunderbirds AHL 69 11 10 21 123 — — — — —
2018–19 Springfield Thunderbirds AHL 67 4 13 17 112 — — — — —
2019–20 Belfast Giants EIHL 48 15 17 32 79 — — — — —
NHL totals 67 8 2 10 138 — — — — —

Awards and honors
Award Year
College
ECAC All-Academic Team 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 [18][19][20][21]
Ivy League Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award 2012 [22]

References
  1. "Bobby Farnham". Brown Athletics. Brown University Athletics. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  2. Scott, Nate (January 15, 2015). "The Ivy Leaguer who fought his way to the NHL". USA Today. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  3. "Brown - Cumulative Season Statistics - 2011-2012". Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  4. "Penguins Sign Farnham to AHL Contract". WBS Penguins. Archived from the original on August 10, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  5. "Bobby Farnham: The Life of an Energy Guy". thehockeywriters.com. April 1, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  6. "Olson makes most of tryout, lands AHL contract with Heat". Abbotsford News. July 13, 2013. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  7. "Penguins Re-Sign Forward Bobby Farnham". Pittsburgh Penguins. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  8. Bombulie, Jonathan (October 4, 2015). "Penguins notebook: Farnham relishes making opening-night roster". TribLive. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  9. Nelson, Dustin L. (October 26, 2015). "Devils Claim Bobby Farnham From Penguins". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  10. "Devils claim Farnham off waivers from Pittsburgh". NBC Sports. October 26, 2015. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
  11. Chere, Rich (October 31, 2015). "What cost Bobby Farnham a Gordie Howe hat trick in his Devils debut?". NJ.com. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  12. "Suspend him or not: Bobby Farnham levels Dmitrij Jaskin with high hit". Archived from the original on April 24, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  13. "Devils' Farnham banned four games for hit". The Sports Network. January 13, 2016.
  14. "One-year, two-way contract for Bobby Farnham". Montreal Canadiens. July 22, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  15. "Rangers giving former Devils agitator a tryout". New York Post. August 22, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  16. "T-Birds sign Bobby Farnham to PTO". Springfield Thunderbirds. October 24, 2017. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
  17. "Bobby Farnham Joins the Giants for 2019/20". August 3, 2019.
  18. "24 Men's Icers Named ECAC Hockey All-Academic". Brown. Archived from the original on May 27, 2014. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
  19. "Brown Garners Top All-Academic Honors – ECAC Hockey". June 24, 2010.
  20. "Maclellan Named 2011–12 Brown Captain – ECAC Hockey". May 2, 2011.
  21. "League-Leading 24 Bears Named to ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team". Brown. Archived from the original on May 27, 2014. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
  22. "Winter Academic All-Ivy – 2011–12". Archived from the original on May 27, 2014. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Kyle Schmidt		 Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award
2011–12		 Succeeded by
Kyle Murphy
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