John McFarland (ice hockey) explained

Caption:McFarland with the Portland Pirates in 2015
John McFarland
Position:Right Wing
Shoots:Right
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:192
Birth Date:1992 4, mf=yes
Birth Place:Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Played For:Florida Panthers
SaiPa
Draft:33rd overall
Draft Year:2010
Draft Team:Florida Panthers
Career Start:2012
Career End:2019

John McFarland (born April 2, 1992) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Florida Panthers. He was taken first overall in the 2008 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Selection by the Sudbury Wolves. He was selected by the Panthers in the second round, 33rd overall, of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. McFarland retired from professional hockey on February 6, 2019. In 2021, he was hired as an assistant coach for the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs.[1]

Playing career

In 2007, McFarland was turned down in his request to play in the OHL because of a Hockey Canada provision.[2] Instead McFarland played the 2007–08 season with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, where he accumulated 165 points, with 96 goals, and 69 assists.[3] McFarland was named the tournament's most valuable player at the 2008 OHL Showcase tournament, where he captained the Jr. Canadiens to an OHL Cup win.

The Sudbury Wolves drafted McFarland first overall in the 2008 OHL Priority Selection.[3] McFarland was the winner of the Jack Ferguson Award, which the OHL presents annually to the player picked first overall in the OHL Priority Selection.[4] He then signed with the Wolves in August 2008.[5] McFarland played his first OHL game on September 19, 2008. McFarland scored his first goal in the OHL on October 17, 2008 against goaltender Trevor Cann from the Peterborough Petes in a 5–4 win.[6] He then went on to win the OHL Rookie of the Month for October 2008, finishing the month with 5 goals and 6 assists for 11 points in 12 games.[4]

McFarland was drafted by the Florida Panthers 33rd Overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

On December 9, 2010, Sudbury traded McFarland (along with defenseman Ben Chiarot and a third-round pick in 2011) to the Saginaw Spirit in exchange for Michael Sgarbossa, Alex Racino, Frank Schumacher and a fourth-round pick.[7] [8]

After four seasons as a professional within the Florida Panthers organization, McFarland left as a free agent to sign a one-year contract with Finnish club, SaiPa of the top-tier Liiga on July 24, 2016.[9]

McFarland spent two seasons abroad, with SaiPa of Finland and Swiss second division outfit HC La Chaux-de-Fonds before opting to return to North America as a free agent, and later securing a one-year AHL contract with the Bakersfield Condors, an affiliate to the Edmonton Oilers, on August 1, 2018.[10] In the 2018–19 season, McFarland opened the campaign with the Condors before he was reassigned to ECHL affiliate, the Wichita Thunder. He registered 4 assists in 10 games with the Thunder, before returning to the Condors. On February 1, 2019, McFarland was released from his contract with the Condors after opting to retire from professional hockey.[11]

International play

During his rookie season in the OHL, McFarland competed for Team Ontario in the 2009 World U-17 Hockey Challenge on Vancouver Island where his Team Canada won the gold medal.[12] He was the tournament scoring leader, with a total of 12 points, and was also on the tournament all-star team.[13]

McFarland was named captain when he played for Team Canada at the 2009 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament[14]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Team League GP GP G A Pts PIM
2007–08Toronto Jr. CanadiensGTHL499669165
2008–09Sudbury WolvesOHL582131523661342
2009–10Sudbury WolvesOHL642030507043032
2010–11Sudbury WolvesOHL12641013
2010–11Saginaw SpiritOHL371992833125496
2011–12Saginaw SpiritOHL3620214118
2011–12Ottawa 67'sOHL1345910
2012–13San Antonio RampageAHL43591410
2012–13Cincinnati CyclonesECHL2312132512124596
2013–14San Antonio RampageAHL4510142417
2013–14Cincinnati CyclonesECHL2085134
2014–15San Antonio RampageAHL4610919831016
2015–16Portland PiratesAHL561410244740000
2015–16Florida PanthersNHL30000
2016–17SaiPaLiiga213694
2017–18La Chaux-de-FondsSL1161720
2018–19Bakersfield CondorsAHL90002
2018–19Wichita ThunderECHL100448
NHL totals30000

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2009Canada OntarioU17694134
2009CanadaU184th63586
2010CanadaU187th64158
Junior totals1816102618

Awards and honours

AwardYear
OHL
2008
Rookie of the Month; October 2009
International
U17 WHC All-Star Team2009

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Frontenacs Name John McFarland Assistant Coach to Complete 2021-22 Coaching and Support Staff . OurSports Central . 2021-07-22.
  2. Web site: McFarland to go No. 1 in OHL draft. Transcontinental. The Hockey News. 2008-03-18. 2009-02-07.
  3. News: Sudbury Takes McFarland First In The OHL Draft. CTVglobemedia. The Sports Network. 2008-05-03. 2009-02-07.
  4. Web site: John McFarland . . 2008-11-03 . 2009-02-07 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091019103400/http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/john-mcfarland-p126835 . October 19, 2009 .
  5. News: McFarland commits to Wolves. Canadian Hockey League. 2008-08-26. 2009-02-07.
  6. Web site: John McFarland . . 2009-02-07 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081009010340/http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/gamebygame.php?id=5193 . 2008-10-09 .
  7. Web site: Spirit acquire McFarland and Chiarot in blockbuster deal . . 2010-12-09 . 2011-02-13.
  8. Web site: Minor League Hockey news . . 2010-12-09 . 2011-02-13 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110622082156/http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=mlh%2Fnews%2Fnews.aspx%3Fid%3D4363619 . 2011-06-22 .
  9. Web site: John McFarland signs deal with SaiPa . . 2016-07-24 . 2016-07-24 . Finnish.
  10. Web site: Condors sign McFarland . . 2018-08-01 . 2018-08-01.
  11. Web site: John McFarland has retired . . Bakersfield Condors . Bakersfield Condors . 2019-02-05 . 2019-02-05.
  12. Web site: Canada claim gold . . 2009-10-02 . 2012-04-05.
  13. Web site: Ontario Wins Second Consecutive U17 Gold Medal. Hockey Canada. 2009-02-07.
  14. Web site: Hockey on the wire . . 2010-02-03 . 2010-02-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120820051906/http://www2.canada.com/windsorstar/news/sports/story.html?id=227ce420-199b-47cd-be53-bf41ef54cf2a# . 2012-08-20 . dead .