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NLL Insider Top 50: Pat O’Toole #15

The major concern in Rochester heading into last year was, how will the Knighthawks operate without John Grant and Scott Evans in the lineup?

Actually, between Shawn Williams being, well, Shawn Williams, Shawn Evans putting up his biggest pro numbers and Jake Henhawk adding almost 20 extra goals outta nowhere, their O got by for the most part.

What no one expected was the team’s complete and total collapse with Pat O’Toole sidelined to start the year. To put it really as mildly as we can, they were straight up horrible with Paddy in the press box, and the season looked beyond lost. READ MORE »

Hey Orlando, come meet your Titans

As the opener draws closer and closer, the roster of the Orlando Titans is taking shape and this weekend, fans in Orlando have the chance to meet their new National Lacrosse League team. Titans FanFest Day is Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Amway Arena. The team’s practice, with some scrimmage time, begins at 11 a.m. and fans are welcome to attend the event for free and meet the players afterward. Season ticket holders also can pick up their ticket packages. And as if that weren’t enough, parking for fans is free in Lot 3 and fans are asked to enter the arena on the north side, facing Colonial Ave.

NLL Insider Top 50: Lewis Ratcliff #16

The Colin Doyle trade towards the end of ‘06 has affected pro lacrosse more than any other before, and probably, after it.

Lewis Ratcliff was about as far away from Toronto as you could get in the National Lacrosse League when the switch was flipped on Doyle’s trade to San Jose, but outside of maybe Ryan Benesch, Ratcliff has felt the affects of that blockbuster, himself a key piece of two monster moves made since, more than anyone other player.

An innocent, point-producing, bystander turned pawn, Ratcliff will be wearing his third pro jersey in three years since leaving Calgary. READ MORE »

Colin Doyle named Toronto Rock captain, plus the links

With former Toronto Rock captain Chris Driscoll moved to Buffalo earlier in the off-season, the Rock picking up Phil Sanderson in the swap, the team was in need of new leader, and although Colin Doyle was always very much a leader in previous Toronto Rock seasons, this winter, he’ll also have a ‘C’ stamped on his sweater to make things a little more official.

Yesterday, the Rock named their newest acquisition their 2010 captain, Doyle formerly the San Jose Stealth’s captain prior to being moved earlier this month for Lewis Ratcliff, Tyler Codron and Joel Dalgarno. READ MORE »

Shootin’ From The Hip

                Every week we are scanning the league for stories that may have gone unnoticed by you folks or that will make good water cooler fodder.  More importantly we want to delve a little deeper than face value as we take a look at these things. So let’s dive in shall we?

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NLL Insider Top 50: Gavin Prout #17

At this time last year, Gavin Prout was the captain of a Colorado Mammoth team looking to build off a respectible 9-7 regular season, working their way back to a Champion’s Cup final the Woollies were hoisting over their heads just (a then) three short seasons ago.

A lot has changed since opening day 365 days ago, both for Prout and the Mammoth.

Prout, one of the sport’s top power forwards, was moved twice over this past off-season, first to the Rochester Knighthawks, and then shortly after to the Edmonton Rush, where he very much remains as the Rush attempt to change their fortunes. READ MORE »

Merrick Thomson moved to PUP list, Stealth sign Matt Flindell, plus the links

Some lingering roster moves made yesterday, including  some pretty high profile ones by the Philadelphia Wings.

On top of inking Colorado Mammoth cut and former retiree, Josh Sims, the Wings also moved last year’s top goal-scorer, Merrick Thomson, to their physically unable to perform list, a week after including their main offensive threat on their season opening 23-man roster.

NLL Insider checked in with both the franchise and Thomson himself since yesterday’s roster moves, neither able to confirm any suspected rumoured injuries that Thomson may be dealing with. READ MORE »

Can Calgary repeat as National Lacrosse League (NLL) Champions in 2010?

While the star-studded Brampton Excelsiors repeated as Canadian Lacrosse Association (CLA) Mann Cup champions just this past summer in NLL Insider’s No. 1 story of 2009, the last National Lacrosse League (NLL) team to repeat as NLL champions was back in 2003 with the Toronto Rock.

In fact, over the past 14 seasons, only twice has a team been able to repeat as an NLL champ. In 2000, the Rock defeated Rochester with a 14-13 victory after they also won a championship game over the Knighthawks in ’99. READ MORE »

Wings Sign Former All-Star Transition Player Josh Sims

From Press Releases

The Philadelphia Wings have signed nine year veteran transition player Josh Sims according to General Manager David Huntley. Sims played for the Colorado Mammoth the past seven seasons and helped the team to their only NLL Championship in 2006.
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NLL Insider Top 50: Andrew McBride #18

Like former Calgary Roughnecks’ assistant and current Toronto Rock GM Terry Sanderson said during an interview on the Fan590 this past week, playing the kinda system he and Rock head coach Troy Cordingley instilled in Calgary, and now Toronto, is not the kind of D where you lean on a stud player or two.

It’s hard to centre one or two guys out when the entire machine needs to be clicking, sliding, and pressuring all on the same clock, directly off one another, on every shift. With that said though, there is a defensive leader at the top of the defending champs D depth charts, and his name is Andrew McBride, easily one of last year’s top pro defenders. READ MORE »