NLL Insider Top 50: The Final Five

January 8th, 2010 by Paul Tutka

Where will Brodie Merrill rank inside the final five in this year's Top 50? (Photo: Matt J. Wiater)

This is it. The final five ball players in this year’s Insider Top 50.

Last year, Colin Doyle was named our best on the eve of the ‘09 National Lacrosse League season. This year, the Toronto Rock’s latest captain remains, but is joined by NLL transition player of the year Brodie Merrill, ‘09 double Cup winner Josh Sanderson, NLL MVP Dan Dawson and the Orlando Titans’ clutch captain and American box lacrosse icon, Casey Powell. After the jump, relive the breakdown of the past 45 ball players that made the grade this year and find out who is named Insider’s #1 pro player heading into the 2010 NLL season.

# (Last Year) Player, Team

50 (NR) Nick Inch, Minnesota Swarm
“The bruising Swarm pure D standout’s first half of ‘09 definitely had him playing as good as any higher profile defender in the NLL, Inch regularly given some of the toughest assignments on Minny’s gamedays, handcuffing a who’s-who of top shelf talent throughout this past year.” (read more)

49 (NR) Mac Allen, Rochester Knighthawks
“Allen was one of last year’s top cover defenders and mowed guys into the ground on a nightly basis, leaving smeared facial imprints in the Blue Cross’ rink boards and forwards asking themselves when the hell did he get so damn good.” (read more)

Matt King elevated his game in '09,the league's most improved player. (Photo: Matt J. Wiater)

48 (NR) Matt King, Calgary Roughnecks
“What he was supposed to do this year was save the franchise some coin, but his money backstopping did a lot more than keep a little dough in the Necks’ pockets at the end of the year, he helped stuff a whole damn Champion’s Cup in there too.” (read more)

47 (NR) Kyle Ross, Boston Blazers
“With the brand names running around the court out in New West between both the Bellies and Excels, to call Ross one of the best is sayin’ something, but we’re sticking to it. A bold statement for a guy whose game is never tucked away in the corner, he makes sure of that.” (read more)

46 (23) Ryan Ward, Edmonton Rush
“2010 will see Ward back with Secore, the two playing for Derek Keenan’s new-look Rush. Secore and Ward sat one-and-two atop the Swarm’s scoring charts in ‘08 respectively and combined for an impressive 45 power-play points. If the two can reignite that magic that had Minny as the third highest scoring team in the league in ‘08 and the franchise’s best ever man-up unit, it could be on helluva season for a Rush team looking for a lot more than their league low 159 goals last year.” (read more)

Matt Disher had arguably his best ever season in the NLL in '09. (Photo: Matt J. Wiater)

45 (NR) Matt Disher, Edmonton Rush
“Not only did Dish register a pretty impressive amount of saves, the part that doesn’t show up on the stats page, is he made the ones that really matter. The Rush will need that this winter, especially if their D is on the floor as much as they were in ‘09.” (read more)

44 (NR) Kaleb Toth, Calgary Roughnecks
“Improved, a comeback, a rebirth, call it whatever you want, but bottom line, Kaleb Toth had an ‘09 that put him back on the map in a big way, and for those that wrote him off, get the pen out.” (read more)

43 (NR) Scott Stewart, Edmonton Rush
“Underrated, a word that gets used and abused more in sports today than the Maple Leafs penalty kill, and although there was a time not so long ago you could definitely hang the underrated tag off Stewart’s sweater, not any more. He’s good, and absolutely everyone better know it.” (read more)

42 (NR) Mike Carnegie, Calgary Roughnecks
“… the simple fact is, he’s been as steady and consistent as you could ask for from a D guy, and when you factor in his impact in some of the biggest clutch situations over the past 12 months, Mike Carnegie has definitely arrived at the highest level of the sport.” (read more)

Sean Pollock led the Swarm in scoring for the first time over his career. (Photo: Dave Sanders)

41 (37) Sean Pollock, Minnesota Swarm
“Pollock has only had four regular season games where he hasn’t registered at least a point in his five years in Minny (even during his first year there, when he was lower on the depth charts and playing fewer minutes), a trend usually only seen in the sport’s top scorers and playmakers. Guess what, he’s one of them.” (read more)

40 (19) Blaine Manning, Toronto Rock
“Never the highest shooter on the Rock O (especially last year), Manning has always remained the glue with that unselfish mentality in Toronto’s offensive scheme.” (read more)

39 (47) Steve Toll, Rochester Knighthawks
“Although Rochester turned their season around and even crashed the post-season, one vet gave ‘er from start to finish, no questions asked, no mater the score or the situation, or how bleak things look during that first hellish month of ‘09.” (read more)

38 (33) Luke Wiles, Washington Stealth
“Although things seemingly didn’t work out as planned in Toronto, Everett fans will no doubt love having Wiles back in the Stealth family, his determination, skill and work ethic making him one of the sport’s most exciting and dynamic players.” (read more)

Potentially out this season due to injury, Codron still slipped into the Top 50 after another strong run. (Photo: Matt J. Wiater)

37 (NR) Tyler Codron, Washington Stealth
“He was too good not to take. His footwork in lacrosse, defensively, is probably one of the best I’ve ever seen.” – Keenan (read more)

36 (11) Ryan Cousins, Minnesota Swarm
“Another “only”Cousins lays claim to is that he still remains the only player in Swarm franchise history to wear the C on his sweater. With long tenured Buffalo Bandits captain Rich Kilgour retired and Gavin Prout traded, Cousins’ reign as Minny’s captain is only bettered by the Calgary Roughnecks recently signed main-man, Tracey Kelusky.” (read more)

35 (NR) Phil Sanderson, Toronto Rock
“I’m just a blue-collar guy.” (read more)

34 (NR) Ian Hawksbee, Edmonton Rush
“Hawksbee may have grabbed headlines while the world (via web and countless TV spots of the brawl) was watching, but his previous eight month’s worth of work with both the Rush and Salmonbellies was what put Hawksbee this high in our rundown.” (read more)

Daryl Veltman had an epic pro rookie season in Boston. (Photo: Boston Blazers)

33 (NR) Daryl Veltman, Boston Blazers
“Daryl’s uncle, Jim Veltman, was never the fastest guy on the court, but he was almost always the smartest, making him the greatest loosie vacuum the NLL has ever seen. The red headed younger Velts has the same smarts and that one step ahead of you mentality, and it showed last year both on the rug and the stat sheets.” (read more)

32 (NR) Merrick Thomson, Philadelphia Wings
“… outside of Athan Iannucci’s record setting 71-goals two seasons ago, Thomson’s 39 was the best total since Tom Marechek closed out his pro career in ‘05 with 40 goals, Jeff Ratcliffe also notching 39 that same winter.” (read more)

31 (NR) Dane Dobbie, Calgary Roughnecks
“So can you mention Dobbie in the same breath as Josh Sanderson today? Well, no, but to say he’s the next generation’s Josh Sanderson, an undersized, do anything forward that isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty while excelling as both a clutch scorer and feeder, is definitely right on the mark.” (read more)

30 (41) Jeff Shattler, Calgary Roughnecks
“When Shattler posted four points or more last year, the Roughnecks were a smooth sailin’ 4-0. When he was held pointless, Calgary went 1-3, that lone win a nailbiter againstt he last place Edmonton Rush. Few of the league’s top offensive ball players had that kinda clutch power, let alone a transitional guy like Shattler.” (read more)

29 (44) Shawn Evans, Rochester Knighthawks
“So while some ball players we have listed in this year’s Top 50 previous to Evans today mighta had more digits, few of those player’s goals did for their team what Evans’ marks meant to Rochester’s post-season crashing ‘09.” (read more)

28 (38) Brian Langtry, Colorado Mammoth
“Often misunderstood, usually undervalued, but always producing, Brian Langtry should be in for (yet again) one helluva year in the NLL, whether you like it/him or not.” (read more)

27 (5) Jeff Zywicki, Washington Stealth
“Jaws around the country dropped, many still unhinged by the exclusion.” (read more)

Jeff Zywicki has buried 80 goals in the NLL over the past two seasons. (Photo: Washington Stealth)

26 (NR) Dan Teat, Philadelphia Wings
“… Teat might be closing in on 40, playing in his sixth NLL city this year with Philly, and was probably written off by most, filed away as simply a “vet helper”, the five-time Mann Cup winner still seems to have a lot to give to the game.” (read more)

25 (15) Scott Self, Minnesota Swarm
“Scott’s own game remains as stable as concrete and as consistent as any coach could hope for.” (read more)

24 (34) Kyle Sweeney, Philadelphia Wings
“While his athleticism always made him a threat, even as a rookie outta Georgetown University during the ‘05 season, Sweeney’s box lacrosse IQ has jumped multiple points over the past couple winters, the Wings most consistent, reliable and always improving D guy.” (read more)

23 (NR) Jeff Moleski, Calgary Roughnecks
“If I was going to war, this guy would be first on my list because of his heart and dedication to his teammates.” – Andrew McBride (read more)

22 (25) Pat Maddalena, Orlando Titans
“Maddalena is one of the steadiest, consistent forwards in the game today. Believe it.” (read more)

21 (42) Matt Vinc, Orlando Titans
“There have been 40 different goalies who have played at least even just a couple minutes in the NLL since Vinc left for New York, but few have been tested as much as Matt has manning the Titans’ cage.” (read more)

20 (31) Chris White, Buffalo Bandits
“His resume, even going back to his junior days, has always been low key, never really recognized for doing a job that is more meat and potatoes in the trenches kinda stuff, than a flash n’ dash under the limelight gig.” (read more)

19 (NR) Rhys Duch, Washington Stealth
Check out the All-Time National Lacrosse League rookie countdown. (read more)

18 (NR) Andrew McBride, Calgary Roughnecks
“The two Calgary defenders are probably fine with the other piece of gold they took home on the last day of the season this past year.” (read more)

Gavin Prout was traded twice this off-season, but is still one of the league's best. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

17 (8) Gavin Prout, Edmonton Rush
“Leading an offense with the likes of Ryan Ward and Ryan Powell in Edmonton, a roster that looks more Portland Lumberjax than it does Rush this year, much is expected from Prout in 2010 as Edmonton looks for him to have the same impact he had the last time he changed pro sweaters.” (read more)

16 (12) Lewis Ratcliff, Washington Stealth
“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.” (read more)

15 (35) Pat O’Toole, Rochester Knighthawks
“No team relied on their starter last year as much as the Knighthawks leaned on O’Toole. Absolutely no one.” (read more)

Billy Dee Smith has been an NLL and MSL defender of the year. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

14 (48) Billy Dee Smith, Buffalo Bandits
“Often still mislabeled a thug by many, Smith combines blazing speed, proper positional play (always hastling and leashing the game’s best), and owns a hard checking and smash mouth style that makes him the prototypical defender in today’s game.” (read more)

13 (22) Tracey Kelusky, Calgary Roughnecks
“He’s done it all over his career, a defensive presence (as well as hugely offensive) during his Jr. days in Peterborough, to a shoot the lights out scoring threat in Montreal, and now one of the league’s most respected captains who makes up one half of one of today’s best tandems alongside Sanderson. (read more)

12 (20) Shawn Williams, Rochester Knighthawks
“Whether he has hall-of-famers around him or a broken roster looking for a leader, Williams produces and deserves mention alongside this era’s best ball players.” (read more)

11 (13) Geoff Snider, Philadelphia Wings
“It was actually in that Edmonton game that Snider fractured his tracheal (windpipe), but continued playing until the final buzzer. He was sidelined for the next month, and although the team lucked out with only two games over that span, they were both loses, many changing their tune about what the former Burnaby Jr. Laker actually brought to the table.” (read more)

Geoff Snider proved just how important he truly is to the Wings last winter. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

10 (30) Jordan Hall, Orlando Titans
“After getting pooched for the NLL’s rookie of the year nod in ‘08, Hall’s definition of shopmore slump saw him ramping up almost all his offensive numbers, including maintaining a shooting percentage almost any prime time player in the game would envy.” (read more)

9 (14) Anthony Cosmo, Boston Blazers
“The last piece of Cosmo’s puzzle appears to be getting his hands on the NLL’s Champion’s Cup as a starter, the lone missing bullet on his loaded resume of accomplishments.” (read more)

8 (NR) Kenny Montour, Buffalo Bandits
“With different areas of the Bandits’ game slumping throughout last year, Montour pulled games outta the fire for the orange-and-black, including his first start of the year when he held the Rock to just six goals, then running off five straight W’s to solidify that starter’s spot.” (read more)

Still right at the top of the scoring charts, will Tavares ever slow down? (Photo: Buffalo Bandits)

7 (4) John Tavares, Buffalo Bandits
“Will Father Time ever run into him in the hallways of the HSBC Arena?” (read more)

6 (7) Mark Steenhuis, Buffalo Bandits
“Steenhuis is as athletic as any NCAA stud American and as skilled as any top level Canuck. Crazy considering he only picked up the game in his mid-to-late teens.” (read more)

THE FINAL FIVE

5 (10) Brodie Merrill, Edmonton Rush
The comparisons that get thrown at Merrill’s game are endless. Edmonton GM and head coach Derek Keenan described the league’s reigning transition player of the year as the Wayne Gretzky or Michael Jordan of the sport, telling Slam Sports, shortly after securing him in Edmonton for the year, “Brodie’s the kind of guy that if you ask him to shut down the best player on the other team, he’ll do that. He’ll score goals at both ends of the floor and, in transition, play a mean, physical game.”

He’s also been compared to the likes of Bobby Orr, Nicklas Lidstrom and lacrosse’s own, Jim Veltman, all athletes that Merrill shares countless attributes with, maybe the most important, his leadership capabilities. While high profile offensive players like Colin Doyle, Josh Sanderson, John Tavares and a small handful of others, are often described as, “making everyone around them better,” Merrill too falls into that exclusive club, his voice and actions making him one of today’s most prolific leaders.

This season Merrill set a personal best looseball mark (216) while also leading all defenders and offensive D men in scoring (47) in the NLL, his highest total since his phenomenal breakout rookie season in Portland, winning the league’s defender and rookie of the year honour in ‘06.

He then shutdown his ‘09 with a pair of Cups, winning an MLL title with the Toronto Nationals and Mann Cup with the Brampton Excelsiors, both back-to-backs. And how bout his back-to-back-to-back-to-back MLL dender of the year nods, named the outdoor loops best D man yet again in ‘09.

Casey Powell has become one of the game's most complete leaders. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

4 (6) Casey Powell, Orlando Titans
He’s been an NLL MVP contender for the past two years, many feeling he was worthy enough to take the league’s highest individual seasonal honour in ‘09. And although Dawson was definitely deserving of MVP gold, Powell definitely did enough for serious consideration. Had he won (or maybe better stated, “when he wins”), Powell will be the NLL’s first-ever American MVP.

His transformation over the years was unexpected but very appreciated by virtually everyone in the game, Powell hands down one of the sport’s most influential and respected athletes and innovators.

The Titans floundered with Powell absent from their lineup last winter (even though he still led the team in scoring with only 13 games played), going 1-2 with Casey sidelined for a short time. Upon his return, Powell helped New York storm back for a share of the East regular season title, running off a 4-1 record before their drive to the Champion’s Cup, falling just short against Calgary. Powell led all scorers in post-season points, his 21 the third best single playoff mark over the past five years (behind only Dawson’s 31 two winters ago and Prout’s 25 in ‘06).

Powell’s Titans also pulled off a feat few teams if any can brag about in recent seasons, dropping the Buffalo Bandits three times in a single year, Casey averaging over seven points in each win, leaving the Bandits with the worst taste in their mouths maybe ever. Powell was truly a Bandits killer last year, and their first clash this winter, which won’t be until their first weekend in March, should be something fierce.

Josh Sanderson has won the past two Mann Cups and '09 Champion's Cup. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

3 (21) Josh Sanderson, Calgary Roughnecks
Like we said in our Western preview earlier this week, there would have been no title in Calgary if Josh Sanderson wasn’t there. Sanderson may score goals, he’s considered maybe the greatest setup man in pro lacrosse history, but what he does best is wins titles.

Sanderson wills teams to the gold anyway he can, whether that’s done with the ball in his twig, through his voice on the bench or in the locker room, Sanderson, and the two guys ahead of him today, are not satisfied unless they are the last man standing, whatever the season. Everyone in the league wants to win, it’s every athletes end goal, but Sanderson demands it of himself and his teammates everytime they step on the floor. No excuses.

Not only did Sanderson come out of ‘09 as maybe this past year’s ultimate, straight up winner, he made sure he wasn’t gonna lose his NLL single season helper mark either. With both Doyle and Dawson both breathing down Shooter’s neck/71-assist mark down the stretch, Sanderson threw his hat into the mix, eventually breaking his own record, sharing the honour with Dawson at 74 (Doyle finishing with 73).

Sanderson has won the past three major Cups that have passed, with his two Manns and recent Champion’s Cup (also has two Minto Cups and another Mann and NLL title), Shooter finds himself on a Calgary roster definitely looking ready to repeat. Can the game’s most demanding winner pull off a fourth straight title come May?

Colin Doyle chased both Tavares and Sanderson's points and assists records. (Photo: Matt J. Wiater)

2 (1) Colin Doyle, Toronto Rock
Although Doyle slipped a single solitary spot in this year’s rundown, the Rock’s recently named captain still had one helluva year, and could defintiely just as easily be in the top spot again this year, the decision really coming down to inches at the end of the day.

After a slow start in San Jose during the first couple months of the season in the NLL, the Stealth running into numerous on-floor issues, the former Stealth captain flipped the switch, taking San Jose from a 3-7, way outta the playoffs, ready to be euthanized team, and instead ripped off four wins during a five game stretch, good enough for a playoff spot in the West.

With the Stealth dragging their heels into the playoffs last year, it marked the eleventh consecutive season that ’09’s pro scoring champ qualified for the playoffs, Doyle’s lone post-season miss happening during his rookie year with the Ontario Raiders.

The NLL’s Mr. May, Doyle has built a rep as one of the greatest post-season performers ever, taking things to an even deeper level this summer, scoring the shorthanded OT winning goal in Game 7 of the Mann Cup, a national series many still feel could be the greatest Canadian finale ever. Doyle led the Mann with 12 goals, tacking on even another game winner in addition to the one that sealed the deal, scoring yet another OT clincher, this time in a second extra frame.

Now in Toronto again, can Doyle keep his playoff streak alive leading a rebuilt Rock roster that has missed the post-season in two of the three seasons Doyle was in San Jose?

NLL '09 MVP and Man Cup winner, Dan Dawson. (Photo: Matt J. Wiater)

1 (2) Dan Dawson, Boston Blazers
Dawson won the same Mann Cup as Doyle and Sanderson above, but also landed his first NLL MVP nod, one many felt was a long time coming, Dawson altering his game to suit the needs of an expansion Boston Blazers franchise that excelled under his leadership and work ethic.

Similar to the evolution Doyle went through during his first handful of seasons in the league, going from a rookie with a strong inside game, to an outside shooter that could thread a needle from downtown, to finally the offensive leader he is today, Dawson too has taken a similar road in the pros. Starting out initially as a defender with a very young and equally inexperienced Columbus Landsharks team, Dawson became a prime time scoring threat, last year a floor general with the first-year Blazers as he set a new helper standard alongside Sanderson.

Also interesting to note is the revelation of Dawson’s field game, still currently in the running for a spot with Team Canada in 2010. Four years ago, at Canada’s ‘05 camp leading into the Worlds in London, Ontario, Dawson was inexperienced, competing against a majority of ball players that had played NCAA ball at some of the biggest programs in the US. Fast forward to this past fall’s final tryouts and Dawson impressed immensely, maturing as a player over the past four years in virtually every facet of the game, both box and field. Dawson was certainly good four years ago, but now, he is arguably the best.

For the same reason Doyle sat at the top of the charts last year, Dawson orchestrated an offense in Boston that many felt would be too far out of their element, a group of ball players (outside of Dawson and a select few) that couldn’t cut it in previous seasons in the NLL. The crew in Boston had no choice but to produce with Dawson leading, and the results were likely well beyond what most felt they were capable of.

Dan Dawson’s ‘09 highlight package courtesy of the Boston Blazers…