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NLL Top 50

Insider Top 50: Midsection Edition, Part I

Will Andrew McBride be Calgary's next captain after yet another solid winter? (Photo: Dan Brodie)

Every week Insider will release our next series of National Lacrosse League ball players ranked in our 2011 Top 50, our number one ranked player announced on the eve of the NLL season opener. Click here for a breakdown to find out what goes into selecting our Top 50, and check out this week’s next best below and after the jump.

30 (18) Andrew McBride, Calgary Roughnecks
While 2010 wasn’t the Cup winning repeat performance the Roughnecks were looking for, McBride gave Calgary another strong season while leading their still impressive defensive unit, a unit that led the West in goals against (169), a better team total than the eventual champion Washington Stealth (179). READ MORE »

Rochester Knighthawks

“I don’t go out looking for it, but never shy away from it.” – Rochester rookie Josh Ruys

Josh Ruys, the Rochester Knighthawks’ 12th overall pick in September’s National Lacrosse League entry draft, gave Mike Hasen and his staff their first look at the Burlington Chiefs Junior ‘A’ product at this past weekend’s training camp session, Ruys saying, “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. Really, I can’t thank them enough. Draft night was a dream come true.” Check out the rest of Ruys’ video interview above and click here to check out Matt Vinc fielding some heat from over the weekend.

Road to the Mann Cup

Gerry Van Beek excited about Rod Jensen taking over Langley bench, Wings add Matt Alrich, plus the links

The Langley Thunder will go into the 2011 WLA season with Rod Jensen leading their bench. (Photo: Carl Meadows)

For the second straight week the WLA coaching scene has grabbed major headlines in the box lacrosse world, first the New Westminster Salmonbellies announcing the release of Bob Salt after the team failed to win a Mann Cup this summer for the third straight season, and then the Langley Thunder confirming that Rod Jensen would be taking over for former league Coach of the Year Randy Delmonico. READ MORE »

2011 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship

Team Canada adds Dan Dawson and Jordan Hall to WILC roster, only those showing interest will be selected

Jordan Hall has been added to Canada's 2011 WILC roster. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

Earlier this month, after naming Colin Doyle, Brodie Merrill and John Grant to their World Indoor Lacrosse Championships roster, Team Canada announced that they’d be making roster selections in the spring and later hold a pre-tournament camp in the Czech Republic, but today have now also added another pair of high profile Canadians in Dan Dawson and Jordan Hall to their roster.

It appears that in excess of 70 unnamed players are competiting for a roster spot with the Canadians, who during today’s announcment have now confirmed that, “Team Canada executive director Dean French and GM Johnny Mouradian will be announcing more players in the coming weeks. The final roster will be filled with players who have expressed a desire to play for Canada and who’ll showcase their talents during the NLL season.” After the jump check out the rest of Canada’s media release. READ MORE »

Calgary Roughnecks, NLL Fan Poll, Toronto Rock

Fan poll: The greatest NLL champion … 2004 Roughnecks vs. 2005 Toronto Rock

It is the first for one, the final for the other. For now, anyway. This week’s matchup of our greatest National Lacrosse League champions pits the 2004 Calgary Roughnecks, winning their first of 2 Champion’s Cups, against the 2005 edition of the Toronto Rock. That particular edition of the Rock happens to be the last to win a title although the Rock were mighty close last season to championship No. 6. So who’s the better of the 2? That’s a tough question because both were so strong when it counted, especially consider the Riggers won their Cup without even winning their division. Neither one of these teams were offensive powerhouses, but that’s the great thing about sports. It’s not all about the stats, but it’s how you come together at right time. READ MORE »

Washington Stealth

Coming in Fit

Lewis Ratcliff, the NLL's top goal scorer in 2010, has always been known for his top conditioning. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

Washington Stealth’s Tom Johnson in a recent video interview talks about taking the summer off to rehab from surgery.

“It definitely gave me passion to play lacrosse again, I missed it,” says Johnson. “This is the hardest I’ve ever trained to get ready for a season.”

The 6-foot-2, 205 pound forward explains that he’s training six days a week in preparation for camp. That theme, of coming into the 2011 National Lacrosse League (NLL) season in-shape, has been consistently shared this off-season by Stealth members and pros throughout the league.

Two years ago, however, Brian Shanahan accurately noted that physical condition wasn’t a top priority of NLL players. READ MORE »

B.C. Junior A, Road to the Minto Cup

JR Shamrocks trade Casey Jackson to Minto Champs

As if the 2010 Minto Cup champs needed anymore talent, they have just acquired one of the best offensive talents in BC. The Victoria Shamrocks pulling off a trade with the Coquitlam Jr Adanacs  that will see Casey Jackson leave the only team he’s ever known for the mainland. Jackson, who will no doubt be a top pick in the NLL draft, was named to the 2010 BCJALL 1st All-Star team, finished 2nd in league scoring and was a finalist for the 2010 Junior of the Year on NLL Insider. After the jump check out the official press release from Victoria Jr Shamrocks GM Rod Wood. READ MORE »

CLA, Road to the Mann Cup, Senior A

Rod Jensen- the new Head Coach of the Langley Thunder

Shortly after the New Westminster Salmonbellies parted ways with long time head coach Bob Salt, a few names were being thrown around as suitable replacements for the new bench boss. One of the names however, has been crossed off the list. After the jump, check out the press realease from the Langley Thunder Sr. A squad who have just announced that Rod Jensen, who most recently was an assistant coach with Minto Cup winning Coquitlam Jr. Adanacs and defensive coach for the Clagary Roughnecks, will take the reins this summer. READ MORE »

Orlando Titans, The Ballers, The Life, Toronto Rock

Off the Crosse-bar podcast: Toronto Rock defender Pat Merrill

NLLInsider.com’s Teddy Jenner talks to Toronto Rock defender Pat Merrill about the failed Orlando franchise and his subsequent free agency that helped him avoid the dispersal draft, his situation with the Rock and other endeavors like the Hill Academy, a school he, his father and brother Brodie help start and run in Ontario. READ MORE »

Road to the Mann Cup

New Westminster Salmonbellies trying to send message with release of Bob Salt, “I take the blame for not winning…”

Jordan Hall and the Salmonbellies have crushed the WLA over the past three years, but still no Mann Cup. (Tim Prothero)

Bob Salt took the New Westminster Salmonbellies pretty far, but just not far enough, the organization releasing their head coach last week just a few short months after dropping their third straight Mann Cup series this past summer.

Almost unbeatable WLA champions within the province of B.C., the team lost to the Peterborough Lakers during the national final in September, dropping the Cup the previous two years as well, both times to the MSL’s Brampton Excelsiors. READ MORE »