NLL: K-Hawks Get Danowski, Fines for Picks
from press release
Rochester Knighthawks owner and general manager Curt Styres
announced Thursday that the team has acquired forward and former
Duke standout Matt Danowski and defenseman/transition man Kevin
Fines.
Danowski was acquired from Orlando, along with a conditional
third-round pick in the 2010 NLL Entry Draft, in exchange for
forward Mat MacLeod. The Knighthawks then picked up Fines from the
Minnesota Swarm for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2009
draft.
“He’s a scorer that can play transition and also step
into the offense on the right side,” said Styres. “He
works well without the ball and can fit right into our offense. He
is young and athletic.”
Danowski is the NCAA’s all-time points leader with 353 points
at Duke University. He was a former first-round pick of the
Colorado Mammoth (seventh pick overall) in the 2008 National
Lacrosse League Entry Draft. He tallied 14 points in nine
games his rookie season in 2009.
The 24-year-old is one of the most decorated players in NCAA
history, winning the National Player of the Year, the Tewaaraton
Trophy and USILA’s Lt. Raymond J. Enners Award as the
nation’s top collegiate player in 2008. The Farmingdale, N.Y,
native was a two-time winner of the Turnbull Award as the
nation’s top attackman (2007-08) and was a first team
All-American selection all four seasons at Duke. The forward also
earned ACC Player of the Year honors twice (2005, 2007). Further,
he has played two seasons in Major League Lacrosse (2008-09),
recording 67 points in 22 games and appearing in two all-star
games.
MacLeod, 21, goes to Orlando after playing two seasons with
Rochester and collecting seven goals and eight assists in 16 games.
He was the Knighthawks’ first-round selection (eighth
overall) in the 2007 NLL Entry Draft. He has won back-to-back Minto
Cup titles (2008 and 2009) with the Orangeville Northmen.
Fines, 29, comes to Rochester after completing his fifth season in
the NLL in 2009. In his career, he has notched 53 goals and 40
assists for 93 points. He also scooped up 243 loose balls in 70
games with teams in Minnesota, San Jose and Toronto and Chicago.
The Holland Landing, Ontario, native was acquired last season by
Minnesota in the Chicago dispersal draft. He was originally a
second-round selection (25th overall) in the 2001 NLL Entry
Draft.
“We are looking to strengthen the defense with veterans and
were lucky Kevin came up in a trade with Minnesota,” said
Styres. “He played both transition and defense (in Minnesota)
and can play some offense. I was extremely happy with the condition
he was in.”
The Knighthawks return to preseason action on Sunday, Dec. 20 at
the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena, as they host the Boston Blazers at
10:30 a.m.
