Welcome to the Flyers LW Samuel Dove-McFalls

[pilldoc]

Offensive zone ability: C+

Offensive transition ability: C+

Puck movement and possession retention: C+

Defensive transition ability: B-

Defensive zone ability: B-

Defense: positional

Offense: cerebral

 

 

Keywords, unique identity traits: pro sized two-way/defensive C, has faceoff ability and can log PK minutes, active long stick, engaging physically, decent mobility and can make some plays with the puck

 

Room for improvement: could use his frame better with the puck on his stick to sustain zone time, developing offensive game overall, decent defensive player but has some ways to go to be considered better than that in that regard

 

Full analysis:

 

Samuel Dove McFalls is a pro-sized center that plays the game in a pro-style manner. Simplicity and effectiveness is his approach, he won't wow you with skill or high-end plays with the puck, but is effective all over the ice. That said, it would be fair to say that he has OK vision and can make some plays with the puck. Good skating ability and agility for his size. Excels at faceoffs. Willing to take hits to make plays and is physically engaging in his shifts. Keeps his head up and can make a pass or two. Capable of PK and has a long active stick with his reach. Supports the play well but doesn't necessarily have the vision to be a top 6 player at the next level.

 

In the offensive zone Dove-McFalls has a developing game in terms of being an offensive producer. He has decent size and leverage and is OK at protecting the puck but there is room for improvement there. If the shot is there he will shoot and if the pass is there he will pass, but isn't high-end in either aspect. Competes well for his position and can be physically engaging. Basically I would look at his next year to see whether there is more offensive potential there in terms of keeping control of the puck and making plays with it but he does have some tools. Right now however he projects more as a checker.

 

Through transition he will support the puck and is generally someone who can be counted on to be open and help the team move up the ice. Has decent speed for his size as well as agility and ability to change angles, but I don't think he is a big threat off-the-rush or anything like that. Doesn't have the skill or the vision to do that at the moment.

 

As a forechecker he can throw some hits and lay the body. Has long reach and an active stick that along with his mobility allows him to be a factor. Reads are decent in terms of where he has to be, but doesn't have anything advanced in terms of causing turnovers or being a really high-end off the puck player. He is pretty decent though and the tools are there for more. Should be capable of being cast as a defensive/two-way center down the line.

 

In his own zone he competes well. Is pretty good at physically engaging and gaining inside body position. Uses stick to cover lanes. Will maintain coverage, right now I'd say he's decent as a defensive center, but has tools for being quite good at it, especially when you take into account his faceoff ability which is a nice bonus.

 

Overall, Dove-McFalls for me projects at the high-end of his potential as a classic bottom 6 checking center. Has nice size, mobility, long active stick, competes well and is physically engaging, and is pretty good at faceoffs. Has PK ability. Can make a play or two with the puck and shows some vision, offensive game could develop a bit further.

 

Development focus: I think Dove-McFalls could stand to improve offensively in terms of using his size to protect the puck and give himself some time to make plays with it stemming from that.

 

 

Projection: I'd project Dove-McFalls as a pro-sized two-way/defensive bottom 6 center that has decent mobility, competes well, is physically engaging and has a long active stick. Could log some PK minutes and has faceoff ability.

 

[flyercanuck]

Nice name...lol.

[OccamsRazor]

Excels at faceoffs. Willing to take hits to make plays and is physically engaging in his shifts. Keeps his head up and can make a pass or two. Capable of PK and has a long active stick with his reach. Supports the play well but doesn't necessarily have the vision to be a top 6 player at the next level.

 

Sounds like a younger version of Ryan White.

 

Scrappy little kid.....depth guy/bottom 6.

[brelic]

Can we draft a kid named McLovin?

[flyercanuck]

@brelic

 

Where'd McCool go?

[pilldoc]

From Bill Meltzer.....

 

4th round (98th overall) – Samuel Dove-McFalls, LW, Saint John (QMJHL), 6-2, 207 lbs.
Born April 10, 1997 in Montreal, Quebec (age 18).
Rankings: 70th on Central Scouting North American list, 100th overall McKeens.

Scouting Report: A gritty and physical forward with good hockey sense. Formerly the captain of the Lac St. Louis Tigres and now an assistant captain for St. John. Played on his team's top penalty killing unit, but did not get power play time. Still managed 14 goals and 34 points in 66 games to go along with 73 penalty minutes. Dove-McFalls is not afraid to throw his weight around and strong along the boards. There were still some power forwards on the board -- such as Swedish forward Filip Ahl, who went 107th overall to Ottawa -- with more natural scoring upside but Dove-McFalls has a more defined role to play if he eventually makes it the NHL; that of a big, strong bottom six winger who creates room and has some penalty killing upside. Dove-McFalls played one season of junior hockey in Germany during the 2011-12 campaign, while his family resided in the country.