(PR) Trenton, NJ – The Trenton Devils have added two forwards from Providence College (Hockey East) today, signing Ben Farrer to an amateur tryout contract and Matt Germain to a standard player contract. The announcements were made by Albany and Trenton General Manager Chris Lamoriello.
Farrer, 22, set career highs in goals (4), assists (12), and points (16) this season for the Friars, appearing in each of the team’s 34 games. He compiled 26 points in 105 games over the past four seasons, and three of his five career goals were game-winners. With the Friars, the 6-3, 185-lb. left-handed shooter was twice named to Hockey East’s All-Academic Team and was a two-time recipient of his team’s Thomas Eccleston, Jr. Unsung Hero Award. Prior to attending college, the Calgary, AB native played three seasons in the AJHL for the Calgary Canucks, where he finished third in team scoring during the 2006-07 season, posting career bests in goals (25), assists (35) and points (60). Farrer was born on October 7, 1988.
Germain, 24, appeared in all 34 contests for Providence this season, and was second on the team in goals (10) and third in points (20). In four years with the Friars, the Rockland, MA native accumulated 18 goals and 38 assists in 134 games, and was named to Hockey East’s All-Academic Team three consecutive years, earning his team’s Academic Award in 2008-09 and Providence Athletics’ Joseph V. MacAndrew Award for outstanding performance in academics and athletics in 2010-11. The 5-11, 195-lb. left-handed shooter also shared his team’s Thomas Eccleston, Jr. Unsung Hero Award as a freshman in 2007-08. An EJHL All-Star with the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs in 2006-07, Germain was a First Team Prep School All-Star at Northfield Mount Hermon in Mount Hermon, MA. He was born April 6, 1986.
Trenton hosts Elmira Sunday at 4 p.m. and Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Inside The Trenton Devils with Mike Ashmore 
March 12, 2011 at 6:00 pm
2 more nice guys, career high 4 goals for a forward, fits the mold perfectly. Providence Alum too as an added bonus. Boy are those scouts earning their money, fishing in the same small pond has brought Trenton so much success.
“18 goals and 38 assists in 134 games” is the more productive one.
“Farrer, 22, set career highs in goals (4), assists (12), and points (16) this season for the Friars, appearing in each of the team’s 34 games. He compiled 26 points in 105 games over the past four seasons”
March 12, 2011 at 6:06 pm
I honestly have zero problem with it. Nothing to lose at this point…might as well give some kids a shot and see if you find something.
March 12, 2011 at 6:19 pm
this from the guy who said the same thing about Ginand and Charleston. you never know how someone will adapt to the pro game. Give them a chance. What do you have to lose?
March 12, 2011 at 6:24 pm
nothing to lose whatsoever,and that’s a good thing right? Where you been? Miss you defending what this shit org has done and continues to do to this market?
Happy with what you see game in and game out? Make that year in and year out.
March 12, 2011 at 6:26 pm
And excuse me other than one magical night that ended with somebody getting drilled in the stands I would say Charleston has been underwhelming.
March 12, 2011 at 6:37 pm
Solid comparison too, Charleston had 116 pts and Ginand 82, not 56 and 26.
March 12, 2011 at 7:07 pm
90% of all responses on this blog is Titans04. I swear man, you just like to hear yourself talk.
Point totals in college aren’t everything. Signing two kids to see how they do is no problem whatsoever, so stop crying. I get it, you hate the Devils org, can you stop crying about it in over half the posts you make?
This team looked solid but multiple injuries in the NHL, AHL and ECHL caused the rosters to be so mixed throughout the season. Returning players were VERY underwhelming (Akeson for example).
Charleston underwhelming? 29 points in 28 games. Whats underwhelming is his decision making when he got himself suspended for 12 games.
BTW
Farrer –
2009-10 – Played in 28 games as a junior despite suffering an injury – Shared the team’s Thomas Eccleston Jr. Unsung Hero Award -Named to the Hockey East All-Academic Team
2008-09 – Played in 18 games during his sophomore season as he battled injuries -Named to the Hockey East All-Academic Team
2007-08 – Played in 25 games as a freshman – Shared the team’s Thomas Eccleston, Jr. Unsung Hero Award
Will the guy turn into something? Who knows. But ill trust the scouting of the organization more than I ever will yours Titans04 – And yes remember, you did NOT like the Ginand singing when it was first made, citing he was too small. I’m sure after watching Mark Fayne play at Providence, they saw these guys as well since they were his teammates. So how about we give them a chance before whining.
March 12, 2011 at 7:16 pm
Before everyone piles on too much, he does also have a point. If you are going to be bringing guys in, preferably you’d be able to bring in players that are out of a different mold than the classic, undersized college kid that this team seems to love…and if they are undersized, that they can bury the biscuit on a frequent basis. So I get that side of it for sure.
But, given that there’s only a handful of games left and the team’s out of it…if they’re going to use a roster spot or two to essentially serve as an audition process, I’m fine with it. To me, it makes it interesting to see some new guys out there…
Now, if they were again to build a roster with untested college kids with those kind of numbers, I might take issue…but given the timing of it and given that I’d rip them a new one had they just done absolutely nothing and let the roster be super short, I can’t complain.
March 12, 2011 at 7:21 pm
But they aren’t even undersized!
Farrer is listed as 6-3 and Germain is 5-11.
March 12, 2011 at 7:22 pm
Right. Farrer’s numbers are the concern.
March 12, 2011 at 7:27 pm
Pile away, and yeah pretty sad that there’s about 5 people left that give a crap enough to care.
Still waiting for somebody to remind us how great they’ve been and what good they’ve done this market. Come on boys step up and list what they’ve done right.
How about that bigger picture when you factor in their AHL affiliates? and the other markets they’ve buried.
Again don’t give a damn who Trenton is affiliated with could be Al-Queda and I would support them and only want them to succeed. My dislike of the flyers is equal to the devils yet nobody was happier to see the flyers prospects with the cup. As a Rangers fan I would be even more disturbed if my favorite NHL club came to town and pulled this crap. But Lou’s army just buys everything he sells. As I said yesterday justice will be server when Jr takes over the old mans seat and drives the NHL club into the dirt.
And Mike why in the world would you think they will build next years team any different that the past 3?
March 12, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Hes played in injured shortened seasons. He may not put up major points, yet he shared the Thomas Eccleston Jr. Unsung Hero Award twice. Obviously he is having some kind of impact on the games he plays in.
The problem with our team IMO isnt the offense, its the defensive play. The team is currently at 190 GF. Thats higher than 7 other teams, tied with 1 team, some others have 193, 194, 197. The highest is sitting at 219.
Look at our GA, 224. That is the second highest in the league.
Why do you guys think Ginand hasn’t been brought up the the AHL yet? He isn’t defensively reliable, as with quite a few of our players.
Our goalies, defense, and defensive play by our forwards needs to be better. So if Farrer is a defensive guy, then its what we need.
March 12, 2011 at 8:10 pm
I don’t think next year’s team will be different, but cross that bridge when you get there, I suppose.
And disagree on “defensive guys.” There are some supposed “defensive” and “two-way” guys already on the team, and it hasn’t made much difference. And being in the bottom half of the league in scoring isn’t really anything to be pleased with.
But yes, the majority of the problem does lie in defensive breakdowns and goaltending. Not a lot of finishers on the team offensively though, either. A fair amount of skill, but not lots of finishers.
March 12, 2011 at 8:25 pm
Lower half of the league in scoring?
Theres only 10 teams techincally higher than us in GF. 5 of those are within 9 goals of us – 199, 197,197, 194, 193.
Look at the standings. SC – GF is only 170, but look at their GA – 178. That is just one example. Our GF can compete with the teams in the playoff position in the league, but our GA cant.
I already said the returning players we have aren’t performing like they should have been. The defensive guys we were supposed to have on the team AREN’T playing up to par, which is the problem and my point. Without those guys playing like they should be, we cant compete.
If our defensive guys were playing like they should be, than I would be in 100% agreement that bringing in another defensive guy is redundant.
March 12, 2011 at 9:33 pm
What kills this team game in and game out is bad penalties at bad times and a frustrating inability to kill said penalties off. We’ve see it time and again.
That said there’s precious little on the back end and often in net, I agree with that.
Offensively they go through stretches of just hackin’ and whackin’ at the puck without much of a plan, but I would agree the offense isn’t the biggest problem at all.
I’m all about bringing in new blood, too bad they’re at least a month late…
March 12, 2011 at 10:16 pm
Tpf as usual with the blinders on – no one in this organization can do wrong and nothing ever bad can be said about any player or any staff member.
Keep slopping over the garbage that is the devils minor league system. For some of us few paying customers, we expect something beyond a “great effort” and “a couple bounces away from winning” and every other line of bullshit that Chris Lou and any other mouthpiece for this joke of an organization spouts out.
But whatever tpf – your screename tells it all – still living in the dreamworld of a championship many years ago, blinded by how god awful the teams the Devils have given us. Keep hanging your hat on 5 years ago – when you’re the last Trenton fan left, be sure to turn out the lights.
March 12, 2011 at 11:06 pm
19 team league. They’re in 11th in goals for. Lower half, close to other teams or not.
If…big if…if Trenton were to build a team like just about every other team in this league and relax restrictions on players being able to be loaned to other organizations, they’d be able to attract much better guys on ECHL deals, at the very least.
If…big if…if Trenton were to bring in a few veteran guys, which wouldn’t at all be a big deal, because for as much as it’s going to be about development, you aren’t going to develop 18 guys into NHL’ers…maybe one or two, tops…it’s also about winning, then things would get a lot better too.
I can’t sit here and tell you for 100 percent fact that Chris Lamoriello does a bad job…I think he’s damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t in a lot of aspects, but I will also say that I think his performance and track record obviously leave a good deal to be desired. But I can say that I think a dedicated GM for each farm team would make a LOT of difference, Chris or otherwise.
March 12, 2011 at 11:07 pm
And kids, watch the language on here. I know that like ten people read my stuff…but on the off chance a child should come on here, I’d rather not have mommy and daddy asking their friendly beat writer as to where they learned certain words.
March 12, 2011 at 11:19 pm
IMHO loosening the movement restriction isn’t going to happen. Trenton exists to feed Albany. Looked at that way, it’s been a success here. Even the coach came from Trenton. A couple more could crack the roster there next year.
A vet prescence would be very helpful though.
March 13, 2011 at 1:19 am
I’m living in the past with my name? LOL So I guess the name Titans04 is also one you dislike since thats living in the past too. What the hell does my name even have to do with the Devils anyway?
Sounds like someone is just stretching for some kind of material to sling back lol None of my posts were even pro devils rah rah cant do any wrong type of posts. I would just prefer to actually see a kid play before judging what kind of player he will be for us.
I fault the org about lots of stuff, such as keeping Pender for god knows what reason.
And they arent going to let their players be called up by other teams. Just like a NHL team isnt going to let their AHL players be called up by another NHL team. ECHL -> AHL – NHL. The system works for developing players, they just need to refine it so that injuries like this year aren’t hitting all of the teams so hard.
Btw Mike – I get your point on the GF thing…But when you compare it to the other teams (Not just looking at what place it is, which im sorry is silly) and compare it to our GA, it really does show what our problem is. Scoring is not our problem.
March 13, 2011 at 4:09 am
Literally every other team in the league allows for their players on ECHL deals to go on PTO’s to organizations with which they aren’t affiliated. Difference is, the New Jersey Devils are the only team that actually owns their own ECHL affiliate, so they’re going to do things their own way. If I’m an “ECHL veteran” type, why on Earth would I ever sign with Trenton, knowing I have a chance to go to one AHL team, not all 30. As I said, once the org. realizes you aren’t going to develop all 18 guys and perhaps acts like every other team in the league, they can start to attract some prime FA talent. Until then, unless last in attendance, next to last in the standings and chained to one organization are appealing, they aren’t going to get guys that are going to be too appealing on paper.
March 13, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Mike – it’s the same thing over and over again – the brass just doesn’t care – it’s all about the logo and nothing else. Even when that logo has no cache, they don’t care.
The last vet they signed? Mike Harder. Remind me again how that worked out?
March 13, 2011 at 1:08 pm
Still wasn’t a bad idea to take a flyer on the guy…numbers weren’t brutal when he was around, but yeah he rather obviously did not pan out having seen him out there. Amazing he got the numbers he did, really.
March 13, 2011 at 2:17 pm
03/13/2011 Garrett Zemlak (G) Elmira DEL Released from SPC
03/13/2011 Jared DeMichiel (G) Elmira ADD Loaned from Hershey/AHL
03/13/2011 Yannick Tifu (F) Elmira ADD Loaned from Binghamton/AHL
03/12/2011 Oren Eizenman (F) Elmira ADD Loaned from Connecticut/AHL
03/12/2011 Vinny Geonnetti (D) Elmira ADD Signed to SPC
March 13, 2011 at 2:22 pm
Mike I would respectfully disagree on Harder, because they turned Henkel away in favor of the guy. Anybody want to explain that one again as to why it made sense?
March 13, 2011 at 3:22 pm
Henkel > Harder. Of course.