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| Photo: Nina Weiss/Highland Park Hockey |
Written by: Tony Androckitis - Twitter/Facebook
With all the buzz surrounding some of the Philadelphia Flyers' top prospects, a down year for forward Samuel Dove-McFalls - the Flyers' 4th round draft pick in 2015 - had taken him all but off the radar heading into the 2016-17 season.
A knee injury limited Dove-McFalls to just 29 regular season games in 2015-16, but a full season in his fourth and final year in the QMJHL with the Saint John Sea Dogs - including a trip to this year's Memorial Cup - might be enough to earn the 6-foot-1, 202 pound two-way forward an entry-level contract with the Flyers. And in just the nick of time.
According to CapFriendly.com, the Flyers have until next Thursday - June 1st, 2017 - to sign McFalls to an entry-level contract or they will no longer own his rights and he'll be free to sign with other teams.
The rule for drafted but unsigned players is that they must be signed to their entry-level contract by June 1st two years after their draft year if they've played in the CHL (OHL, QMJHL, WHL) or four years if playing hockey overseas.
Dove-McFalls is the only top-100 draft pick from the 2015 NHL Draft that is still currently unsigned, but the 20-year old forward is certainly hoping his career year in the QMJHL will be enough to get an NHL deal done within the next week.
The Montreal area native finished the regular season fifth on the Sea Dogs in scoring with 53 points (17 goals, 36 assists) in 65 games to go along with plus-21 rating. He has also added 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 18 postseason contests this spring.
It seems as though a change from his natural center to the wing has proved beneficial to his versatility as a player.
“I think I’m a reliable, two-way center that’s pretty versatile,” Dove-McFalls told Highland Park Hockey at a recent Flyers' development camp. “I can also be used on the wing and just be used in all kinds of different situations and be relied upon no matter what.”
Those who have seen Dove-McFalls play in the QMJHL say he not only kills penalties, but creates quality chances shorthanded, as well.
While he hadn't really exploded offensively in his four-season career in the QMJHL (109 points in 212 regular season games), McFalls plays at his best when he's using his size to his advantage - winning puck battles and being difficult to play against.
If signed by the Flyers within the next week, Dove-McFalls would almost surely be joining the Lehigh Valley Phantoms next fall for his rookie season of pro hockey.
With the majority of the Phantoms' forwards returning for 2017-18 being small in stature, Dove-McFalls would be a welcomed addition in Lehigh Valley that could provide much-needed size to the team's forward depth.
Even if the Flyers don't offer Dove-McFalls an entry level contract before the June 1st deadline, it's not completely out of the question that he would consider signing an AHL-only agreement with the Phantoms for the fall if there was mutual interest to do so.
We must sign Samuel Dove-McFalls to an entry level contract as quickly as possible, cause we need badly more players, who can play as gritty game as him! And while he"s not the most skilled player, he will still bring energy, power and size to our organization, which we badly lack! Another thing we must try to do, is to trade Scott Laughton and someone else as a bonus if need to, to Detroit for their skilled power forward Givani Smith, who will hopefully become our next Wayne Simmonds! And otherwise we will loose Laughton to Vegas for free!
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