NLL Notebook: Sanderson to Boston, Snider to Calgary, Jamieson Targeted by Hawks for No. 1 Pick
from staff reports
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| Former Calgary star Josh Sanderson will join Dan Dawson and Casey Powell in the Blazers' new power lineup. |
It's been a busy couple of weeks in the National Lacrosse League offseason, as teams jockey leading up to September's entry draft and with training camp just two months away, in some cases.
Here's what's happened lately.
Josh Sanderson to Blazers in big trade
The Calgary Roughnecks have traded forward Josh Sanderson and a
first round selection in the 2010 Entry draft (7th overall
selection), to the Boston Blazers in exchange for forward Daryl
Veltman, defenseman Jon Harnett and transition player Kyle Ross a
first round selection in the 2010 Entry Draft, (3rd overall
selection).
The Blazers lineup on offense now includes Dan Dawson, the
National Lacrosse League's 2009 Most Valuable Player; Sanderson,
the MVP of the 2009 NLL Playoffs, and Casey Powell the MVP of the
2010 regula seaon. Powell, Dawson and Sanderson finished in first,
second and third place, respectively, in the league's MVP voting
last season.
Followingthe trade, Brad Banister, Roughnecks President and
General Manager said via press release, "This was one of the
saddest moments in my 10 year career with the Roughnecks having to
tell Josh Sanderson we have to make a move in regards to him being
a Calgary Roughneck."
"Unfortunately, we are kind of like the Chicago Blackhawks where
we were a little bit over our budget and Josh is a superstar in
this league. He has a lot of value and we are trying to think of
the future of this team."
Sanderson has been playing in the NLL for 13 years and tallied 104
points (34g, 70a) for the Roughnecks in 2010 making him the leading
scorer in the NLL. The Roughnecks acquired Sanderson in 2008 in a
blockbuster trade with the Toronto Rock. Sanderson assisted in
leading the Roughnecks to their 2009 NLL Championship.
"By moving Josh we picked up a solid veteran plus two very young
players, and are hopeful to pick up another with the draft."
The Roughnecks also made a trade with the Washington Stealth of Friday, trading defenseman Jeff Moleski to the Stealth in exchange for their first round selection in the 2011 Entry draft (10th overall selection).
Geoff Snider back in Alberta
The Calgary Roughnecks have traded their first round pick in the
Orlando Titans dispersal draft to the Philadelphia Wings for local
Calgarian Geoff Snider. Snider is the number one faceoff guy in the
league, winning 295 of 390 face-offs in the 2010 season.
Calgary Roughnecks President and GM, Brad Banister exclaims,
“It is great to have another Calgary kid join the Roughnecks.
Not only is he the number one faceoff guy in the league but he is
the number one heavyweight.”
Snider’s abilities are world renowned, as he has been on the
Canadian National Men’s Lacrosse Team in 2006 and 2010.
Snider was drafted to the Philadelphia Wings in the first round
(fourth overall) of the 2007 National Lacrosse League Entry
Draft.
Riggers Head Coach, Dave Pym adds, “Geoff’s ability to
possess the ball will give our offensive players that many more
opportunities to score. He can D up, transition, play O and hold
opponents accountable when necessary. It’s a great day for
the Roughnecks and the City of Calgary.”
“Geoff plays with a lot of emotion and intensity that will
compliment the great group of players already here. He has the
intangibles that we feel will make us a better team.”
The 29 year old Calgarian notched 19 goals and 22 assists during
the 2010 Wings season. To top it off, Snider has added up 280
penalty minutes during his four year career with the Wings.
Roughnecks are excited to bring Snider’s tempo and abilities
to Calgary and the Roughnecks lineup for the 2011 season.
All eyes on Jamieson in NLL draft
The Rochester Knighthawks will usher in the 2010 National
Lacrosse League Entry Draft when they make the first overall
selection on Wednesday, September 8th at the Westin Harbour Castle
in Toronto. It will mark the fifth time in the team’s 17-year
history that the Knighthawks have the first overall selection. All
eyes will be on Syracuse University and Six Nations star Cody
Jamieson.
The NLL Entry Draft, presented by Marc Mesh, will take place at 6
p.m. Eastern. A live online broadcast of the draft is
scheduled to air on The NLL Network at NLL.com. The 2010 Entry
Draft is presented by Marc Mesh, the Official Mesh of the National
Lacrosse League.
The pick is one of three first-round picks for the Knighthawks.
Rochester, who just missed the 2010 postseason, also has the fifth
and 10th spots in the first round. After kicking off the draft with
three first-round picks, the Knighthawks will have the 12th overall
pick in the second round and the 24th and 32nd picks in the third
round. In all, the Knighthawks have six picks in this year’s
draft, which consists of six rounds.
The league’s 10 member clubs will be drafting the best young
talent from NCAA lacrosse programs at US colleges and universities
as well as Canada's junior lacrosse system to outfit their rosters
for this season. The 2011 season will marks the 25th anniversary
season of professional indoor lacrosse.
Last season, Rochester chose Syracuse University and Six Nations
defenseman Sid Smith with the No. 1 pick. Smith played in all 16
games and recorded one assist and 62 loose balls. This year marks
only the second time in Knighthawks’ history that the team
will pick first overall in back-to-back drafts. The other time
yielded Casey Powell in 1999 and John Grant Jr. in 2000. The only
other first overall pick by Rochester was Cam Bomberry in 1995.
FIRST ROUND
1. Rochester (from Colorado)
2. Boston (from Philadelphia)
3. Boston (from Rochester via Colorado via Rochester)
4. Minnesota
5. Rochester (from Boston)
6. Calgary (from Buffalo)
7. Calgary (from Edmonton)
8. Calgary
9. Buffalo (from Toronto)
10. Rochester (from Washington)
SECOND ROUND
11. Colorado
12. Rochester
13. Minnesota
14. Toronto (from Boston)
15. Buffalo
16. Toronto (from Edmonton)
17. Calgary (from Calgary via Colorado)
18. Minnesota (from Orlando)
19. Philadelphia (from Toronto via Calgary)
20. Philadelphia (from Washington via Boston)
21. Buffalo (from Portland via Rochester)
THIRD ROUND
22. Colorado
23. Philadelphia
24. Rochester
25. Philadelphia (from Minnesota)
26. Boston
27. Buffalo
28. Edmonton
29. Edmonton (from Calgary)
30. Toronto
31. Washington
FOURTH ROUND
32. Calgary (from Colorado)
33. Philadelphia
34. Minnesota (from Rochester)
35. Minnesota
36. Boston
37. Buffalo
38. Edmonton
39. Calgary
40. Toronto
41. Washington
FIFTH ROUND
42. Colorado
43. Philadelphia
44. Rochester
45. Minnesota
46. Boston
47. Buffalo
48. Edmonton
49. Calgary
50. Toronto
51. Washington
SIXTH ROUND
52. Colorado
53. Philadelphia
54. Minnesota (from Rochester)
55. Minnesota
56. Toronto (from Boston)
57. Buffalo
58. Edmonton
59. Toronto (from Calgary)
60. Toronto
61. Washington
Orlando Titans dispersed, put up for sale
What was once a promising experiment in Orlando has folded like a cheap tent, as the Orlando Titans -- after pulling out of the 2011 season -- lost their players in a dispersal draft and were later put up for sale for $1.4 million by Gary Rosenbach. The team remains without ownership.
Here are related links from LMO:
* Orlando Titans Won't Play in 2011 Season
* Pick A Titan, Any Titan: Dispersal Draft
Next
* Former Titans Land with New Teams
* Orlando Titans for Sale for $1.4 Million
Roughnecks pick up enforcer, the 'other' Dawson
The Calgary Roughnecks acquired one of the game's premier
defensive players today, receiving defenseman Paul Dawson from the
Boston Blazers in exchange for a fourth round selection in the 2011
Entry Draft. Dawson, who qualified as a Restricted Free Agent with
the Blazers, was signed to an offer sheet by the Toronto Rock
earlier this week. Calgary traded for Dawson's rights and matched
the Toronto offer, thereby officially making Dawson a
Roughneck.
"Paul Dawson is one of the premiere enforcers in the league with a
lot of size and skill. He is also notoriously known for being one
of the toughest defenders in the league and not afraid to drop the
gloves," says Roughnecks President and General Manager Brad
Banister.
"We jumped at an opportunity to grab him and are still
contemplating a lot of things at the moment and are trying to get
in touch with him as we speak. Our team just got a lot stronger and
tougher."
The six-foot-five Dawson was initially drafted as a goalie in 2006
by the Stealth before transitioning into a defender shortly after.
Dawson has quickly acquired a name for himself, separate from his
brother and former teammate Dan Dawson who was the 2009 MVP of the
NLL.
Paul has had no trouble stepping out from his brother's shadow and
will now be one of the highest paid defensemen in the league. In
2010 Dawson scooped up 75 loose balls and tallied six points, plus
65 penalty minutes.
Banister adds, "We are very pleased to be welcoming the other
member of the Dawson family to the Roughnecks."
Minus coach, Knighthawks sign young players
Rochester Knighthawks Owner and General Manager Curt Styres
re-signed three of his young core of players this week, agreeing to
a three-year deal with Rochester native Joe Walters, inking Joel
McCready to a one-year contract and agreeing to a two-year offer
sheet with Bobby McBride.
Walters, 25, will enter his third season in the National Lacrosse
League in 2011. The Irondequoit High School product has contributed
on and off the floor, recording more than a point per game in the
past two seasons and winning the team's 2010 Community Service
Award winner.
McCready, who is an aspiring firefighter, also enters his third
season in the NLL with the Knighthawks. The 22-year-old was named
the team's Most Improved Player last season after playing in 10
games and recording four points (2 2) and 33 loose balls.
McBride, 28, enters his fourth season in the NLL and second with
the Knighthawks. In 2010, the transition man played in nine games,
collected more than a point per game and was fifth on the team with
80 loose balls.
It is still not clear who will be the Knighthawks' new head coach
during the 2011 season. Styres recently told the Rochester Democrat
& Chronicle that he is looking at eight different candidates
for the position, and expects to make a decision next month.
O'Brien headed back to Toronto
The Minnesota Swarm announced that they have traded the rights
to defenseman Tim O'Brien to the Toronto Rock in exchange for a
second round pick in the 2011 NLL Entry Draft.
Minnesota selected O'Brien last Friday in a draft of former
Orlando Titans in the second round (14th overall).
"Next year's draft is going to be an outstanding draft," said
Swarm Owner John Arlotta. "This pick gives us an opportunity to add
another young player to our roster in the future."
O'Brien, 33, posted two points (1g, 1a), four PIM and one loose
ball in two games with the Titans last season. In his six seasons
in the NLL with Rochester, New York, Albany, Toronto, and Orlando,
the native of Edmonton, Alberta has recorded three points (1g, 2a),
28 loose balls, and 110 PIM in 31 games.
