Insider Top 50: The Just Outsiders

December 30th, 2010 by Paul Tutka

Jeff Zywicki stormed back in 2010, a vital part of the Stealth's Champion's Cup win. (Larry Palumbo)

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.

20 (27) Jeff Zywicki, Washington Stealth
Injury issues (lower body) kept Zywicki from playing a full 16-game regular season in 2010, but he was legitimate first-half MVP candidate previous to being put on the shelf. Never afraid to take punishment inside, one of the sport’s best finishers, and one of the most impressive full-post-season performances last year (13-points in three games), Zywicki was one of 2010’s top power forwards yet again.

2011: If he can stay healthy, there’s no reason why the former 40-plus goal scorer can’t be in the MVP mix again. Would have to think he’d be a serious contender for Canada’s WILC roster, even though he was cut by many of the same Canadian staffers this past summer that currently run the indoor side.

19 (12) Shawn Williams, Rochester Knighthawks
Whether it was Rochester’s dysfunctional playing environment, bad luck, or otherwise, Williams saw his stats sink to his lowest point total since 2000 when the league only played a 12-game sked (and he played just ten times), which accounted for his slight sink in this year’s Top 50. Still one of the best in the bizz at creating something out of nothing for his teammates, Williams went down with a broken arm during the MSL playoffs, currently sitting on Rochester’s PUP list just over a week before the first ball drops.

2011: Even with Cody Jamieson in town, the Knighthawks definitely need a healthy Williams back if they hope to get back in the playoffs this year.

Chris White took home another Mann in 2010, also wearing the Buffalo C. (Photo: Martin Allinson)

18 (20) Chris White, Buffalo Bandits
It’s kinda crazy that White has yet to receive any end-of-year defensive love/hardware in the NLL, because from a pure defensive standpoint, few are better than Buffalo’s one season in the books captain. Physical, smart, powerful, and shutdown skills in spades, White won his fourth Mann Cup this past summer in the span of just seven seasons, an integral part of the Peterborough Lakers defensive unit and leadership team. White was also named the MSL’s Defender of the Year, the Merv McKenzie Award winner.

2011: With Billy Dee Smith sidelined, this winter might finally be White’s chance to get that much deserved Defender of the Year nod. He’s gotta be next in line if he can string together another solid campaign. Hell, we’d even settle for a Defensive Player of the Week nod at this point.

17 (11) Geoff Snider, Calgary Roughnecks
Snider continued his balls to the wall pace, work ethic and competitiveness in Philadelphia last year, but it was clear that something was no longer working for player and (more-so) team anymore, the Wings later trading their fan favourite to his hometown Calgary Roughnecks over the off-season. He’s still one of the best, if not the best draw-man and fighter, leading the NLL in looseballs (245) and even chipping in with a career-high 19 regular season goals. Few want to win as much as Snider.

2011: Snider joins a young Calgary roster that will not only need his face-off, fight and two-way skills, they’ll need his leadership badly as well, the team without former leaders Josh Sanderson and Tracey Kelusky this year. “We are in training camp talking about a championship. We are not talking about playoffs,” Snider recently told NLL.com. “We aren’t looking past our opponents by any means, we are talking about Buffalo today. But the one thing that remains constant is that we are always talking about the championship.”

Aaron Wilson took his pro game to another level in 2010 with Minnesota. (Photo: Ross Prohaska)

16 (NR) Aaron Wilson, Minnesota Swarm
Wilson was one of only three players in 2010 to hit the 40 goal plateau (40), joining NLL MVP Casey Powell (44) and Champion’s Cup MVP Lewis Ratcliff(46) at the top of the goal scoring column. The former Champion’s and Mann Cup winner went from a guy who was best known for dumping in garbage on the crease, to an offensive leader that showed his true pro potential in Minnesota last year. His 53-points for the Brampton Excelsiors this summer was Wilson’s highest regular season MSL point total, ditto for the 32 he posted in the playoffs too.

2011: The Swarm’s up top trio of Wilson, Ryan Benesch and Callum Crawford put up lofty numbers in 2010, anything close to matching that point rate would be huge. The three Swarm players were the first trio since John Grant, Shawn Williams and Scott Evans (Rochester Knighthawks) to finish within the league’s Top 10.

15 (13) Tracey Kelusky, Buffalo Bandits
Similar to Zywicki above, Kelusky was dishing out MVP worthy performances prior to going down for an extended period (concussion), easily one of last year’s biggest impact ball players when healthy. Still one of the smartest, smoothest and most versatile offensive threats at the highest level, Kelusky is one of the small handful of players in the NLL that truly makes everyone around him better, an all-time great leader on-and-off the floor. Can he still get it done? Did you see him during the MSL playoffs and Mann? Easily.

2011: His addition in Buffalo is bigger than most have given the trade credit for. With Kelusky pulling the strings alongside John Tavares, the Bandits offense is in the best shape it’s been in years.

On the shelf after sports hernia surgery, the Hawks need Hall in 2011. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

14 (10) Jordan Hall, Rochester Knighthawks
Last year’s Second Team All-Pro member and presumed runner-up for the league’s Transition Player of the Year award, Hall strung together another strong winter and summer campaign, playing more lacrosse than virtually any other player on the planet with the Orlando Titans, New Westminster Salmonbellies, Toronto Nationals and Team Canada, already also named to Canada’s 2011 WILC roster. His goal scoring slip (fewer goals on more shots) dropped him a few spots this year, but the new Knighthawk is still one of the most versatile, skilled and relied on players in the league, and will be again in Rochester.

2011: On the shelf for the first month of the season after sports hernia surgery, just like Williams, even with Jamieson and Matt Vinc added, a player like Hall is beyond needed if the franchise hopes to fix their slowly sinking ship.

13 (NR) Callum Crawford, Minnesota Swarm
Many felt leaving Crawford off of last year’s All-Pro nods was 2010’s biggest highway hardware robbery, the five-year vet having one of the biggest breakout seasons in league history. In his first four years in the NLL with single season stints in Calgary, San Jose, Chicago and Edmonton, Crawford had 99 career points prior to 2010. Last year, the power forward had a staggering 96 in just 16 games, finishing third in the scoring chase and runner-up in helpers (64) behind only assist king Josh Sanderson (70). Composed, creative, clutch and making it look like he’d been posting those kinda numbers for years, Crawford’s coming out party in 2010 was simply sensational, even if some chose to ignore it.

2011: See Aaron Wilson above.

What role will Mark Steenhuis play in Buffalo this winter, playing in both ends in 2010?

12 (6) Mark Steenhuis, Buffalo Bandits
Steenhuis was somewhat inconsistent early last year with John Tavares out of the lineup (Buffalo starting 1-5), still a phenomenal presence on the court however, just maybe not the leading man on O many felt he was likely capable of. Quick, greasey, elusive and one of the toughest guys to match up against, Steenhuis still proved to be one of last year’s most dynamic players, even if the W’s didn’t follow early. Fourth in NLL points, Steenhuis started for the Mann Cup winning Peterborough Lakers out the back-door courtesy of Jamie Batley, playing the two-way role that first gave him fame at the pro level perfectly for the Lake Show.

2011: Steenhuis played that back-door two-way role better than almost anyone this past summer during the MSL and Mann playoffs. With Buffalo apparently changing their approach a bit this winter, what end of the floor will Steenhuis’ varied game help the Bandits most?

11 (7) John Tavares, Buffalo Bandits
His body may be aching more and not bouncing back as fast as it was several years ago, but Tavares’ impact in Buffalo last year was obvious, his finesse and polish just as evident during his record tying (with Neil Doddridge) seventh Mann Cup with the Lakers this past summer too. The Bandits went from East basement dwellers to post-season party crashers upon Tavares’ return to the lineup, still coming up bigger than almost anyone when his team needs it most. Still one of the best in the sport, just one year older.

2011: His just before pre-season comments have many thinking 2011 might be Tavares’ last. If Buffalo wins the Cup, which they are fully capable of doing, it’d be the perfect chance for JT to go out on his own terms, and in serious style.

# (last year)
50 (NR) Rory Smith, Minnesota Swarm
49 (NR) Jamie Shewchuk, Colorado Mammoth
48 (NR) Curtis Manning, Calgary Roughnecks
47 (NR) Alex Gajic, Colorado Mammoth
46 (25) Scott Self, Buffalo Bandits
45 (NR) Drew Westervelt, Philadelphia Wings
44 (NR) Pat Merrill, Toronto Rock
43 (NR) Curtis Hodgson, Washington Stealth
42 (NR) Paul Rabil, Washington Stealth
41 (29) Shawn Evans, Rochester Knighthawks
40 (NR) Matt Roik, Washington Stealth
39 (NR) Rory Glaves, Edmonton Rush
38 (35) Phil Sanderson, Toronto Rock
37 (NR) Ryan Benesch, Minnesota Swarm
36 (NR) Brandon Miller, Philadelphia Wings
35 (34) Ian Hawksbee, Edmonton Rush
34 (49) Mac Allen, Colorado Mammoth
33 (NR) Garrett Billings, Toronto Rock
32 (NR) Mike Thompson, Buffalo Bandits
31 (NR) Stehpan Leblanc, Toronto Rock
30 (18) Andrew McBride, Calgary Roughnecks
29 (40) Blaine Manning, Toronto Rock
28 (NR) John Orsen, Boston Blazers
27 (31) Dane Dobbie, Calgary Roughnecks
26 (NR) Sandy Chapman, Toronto Rock
25 (NR) Craig Point, Rochester Knighthawks
24 (17) Gavin Prout, Edmonton Rush
23 (NR) Tyler Richards, Washington Stealth
22 (46) Ryan Ward, Edmonton Rush
21 (30) Jeff Shattler, Calgary Roughnecks
20 (27) Jeff Zywicki, Washington Stealth
19 (12) Shawn Williams, Rochester Knighthawks
18 (20) Chris White, Buffalo Bandits
17 (11) Geoff Snider, Calgary Roughnecks
16 (NR) Aaron Wilson, Minnesota Swarm
15 (13) Tracey Kelusky, Buffalo Bandits
14 (10) Jordan Hall, Rochester Knighthawks
13 (NR) Callum Crawford, Minnesota Swarm
12 (6) Mark Steenhuis, Buffalo Bandits
11 (7) John Tavares, Buffalo Bandits