Sky the limit for talented rookie
Dawson McKinney is a diamond in the rough.
The 16-year-old Hamilton native is off to a solid start with the St. Catharines Falcons with four goals in his first nine games.
Toss in a solid work ethic and willingness to mix it up, and it’s easy to see why the Oshawa Generals selected McKinney in the fourth round of the 2018 Ontario Hockey League draft.
“He’s really finding out what type of player he is going to be,” Falcons coach/general manager Frank Girhiny said. “He’s got skill and he can grind it out. He’s a hybrid-type forward.”
Girhiny feels once McKinney puts all of the parts of his game together, he will be a top-notch forward at the junior B level.
“He needs to consistently play that game,” Girhiny said. “Sometimes we’ve found that he wants to run around and hit everything in site or try and do too much and be on the wrong side of the puck trying to get more offence. For him, it’s to try and hone his game to be more consistent so he can be successful once he gets to the OHL.”
McKinney got his feet wet at the junior level last season as a 15-year-old, scoring four goals in seven games with the Ancaster Avalanche during the regular season before adding a goal an assist in the playoffs.
“It was a pretty big jump, but I got in some games last year with Ancaster so I’m pretty used to it after those games,” said McKinney, who played minor midget in Hamilton last season for current Falcons assistant coach Chris McLean.
McKinney realizes there is work to be done.
“I definitely need to get faster and stronger and get a harder shot and get more points,” he said.
He feels he can be effective both physically and offensively.
“If I’m down and need to get going, go out and get a good hit and then the next shift hopefully go out and get a goal or an assist,” he said.
Girhiny said McKinney needs to keep it simple in order to be effective.
“You don’t have to be running around. I’ve seen lots of OHL games the last few years and you’re lucky to see 15 hits a game,” Girhiny said. “It’s all about angling and getting on pucks. That’s where he has to learn the game.”
McKinney’s work ethic has never been in question.
“He has a drive, he’s wired,” Girhiny said. “That’s why he’s going to play in the league for a long time. He’s going to be a good player.
“He’s very coachable and wants to learn so I expect him to continually learn and get better as the year goes on. We don’t have to worry about him turning off his switch.”
Girhiny said he has maintained regular contact with the Generals.
“They really like him in Oshawa,” Girhiny said. “He will be there.”
McKinney went to camp with the Gens before being reassigned to the Falcons.
“It was a bit faster. Guys were a lot quicker than I was and a lot of older kids who were more rough,” he said.
The Falcons dropped a 4-3 decision to the Niagara Falls Canucks in overtime Tuesday at Jack Gatecliff Arena.
Justin Randhawa netted the winner 1:26 into the extra period.
Patrick McCabe, Justin Kyle and Mitch Mendonca also scored for the Falls.
Andrew Somerville, Joseph Colasurdo and Carson Edwardson replied for the Falcons.
Each team registered 30 shots on goal.
The Falcons are home again to Thorold Friday while the Canucks host Pelham Friday.
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