Sloan Farmer has become more and more prevalent among local prospects in the last few months.
The rising defenseman from the 2005 birth year keeps getting better.
Playing split-season for Marty St. Louis and Chris Gragnano on Mid Fairfield 16-U ahead of his first prep season at Brunswick, Farmer burst onto the scene over the summer for his breakout performance at USA Hockey Select 16 Player Development Camp in July.
The 5-foot-11, 165-pound blueliner from Old Greenwich, Conn., posted five points in five contests at the weeklong camp in Amherst, N.Y., and has continued to turn heads due to his increasingly strong two-way play in the months since.
According to Farmer, the rapid acceleration in his game has come as a result of several things, but most importantly, a boost in confidence.
“I definitely skated more this summer than I have in previous summers, and then after going to Select 16s camp, that was when it really took off,” Farmer, 16, told New England Hockey Journal.
“Seeing all of the other kids who were there, and knowing that I'm right there and can really play among the top kids in the country in my age group, was huge for me.”
A dynamic playmaker from the back end, Farmer carried that momentum with him back to New England for the late-summer showcases and did not let up, impressing in several fall viewing of the undrafted (in the USHL) and uncommitted defenseman.
A junior, Farmer played the previous two seasons at Greenwich High School, in addition to his time with the Mid Fairfield program.
Brunswick head coach Mike Kennedy first noticed his potential last season while he was playing for the Rangers 15-U team.
“I did a few practices for them just as sort of a recruiting tool, and Sloan jumped out at me right away just for his pure athleticism on the ice. He's such a great skater and has great balance,” said Kennedy, who played collegiately at Division 3 Middlebury before turning to coaching in 2005.
Now, entering his fourth season at Brunswick's helm since taking over the program in 2018, Kennedy is eager to see how Farmer's game translates to the prep level on a Bruins team that has high hopes for 2021-22.
“Over the last six months I haven’t seen him a whole lot, but I've heard about him evolving his game offensively, which I'm excited about," Kennedy said. "I think he can help us in all situations; power play, penalty killing, likely finding a spot in the top four. He's a good pickup for sure."
Aside from the confidence he gained at national camp, Farmer is also focused on bolstering his game in other, more tangible ways.
“Everything really,” he said of areas of his game he's been working on this fall. “Just trying to always better my game with judgments and skills.
“I've been in the gym a lot more, which I think has been correlating a decent amount. The other thing I've been working on is my shot. I want to get that harder.”
“Starting from the development camp, I’ve definitely been getting a little bit more interest, so I'm curious to see where that goes," he said.
“I'm definitely new to this process. My parents and I, we're just trying to figure it out. I have some good people around me who can help and give guidance, but for me, it's mostly just about maintaining school, maintaining my work ethic and just trying to keep bettering myself.”
He’s on the right track. If he keeps going at this rate, it likely won't be long before he's off the board.
“When I play confidently, I'm at my peak. I think sometimes during games I can get rattled and that throws me off but when I stay patient and poised with the puck, and try to find the best plays, I play really well,” Farmer said.
"I'm really excited for this year and for the years to come.”
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