The Rochester Knighthawks today traded Andrew Turner and two other defensemen to the expansion Edmonton Rush for forward Sandy Chapman and the second-overall selection in the 29 August entry draft.

In addition to Turner, the 2005 NLL Defensive Player of the Year, Buck Stobart and Cam Bergman are headed to Edmonton, where they will play for former Knighthawks head coach Paul Day, now the Rush's coach and general manager.

"This is a huge acquisition for the Rush," Day said. "Acquiring Andy, at 27 years of age, the best defenseman in the NLL is a huge step and shows the rest of the NLL that we are serious about success."

Turner is the key to the deal, having requested a trade to a Western Division team in order to facilitate his career in forestry.

Turner was the centerpiece of the league's stingiest defense in 2005, as the Knighthawks allowed just 179 goals against. He was named as the team's most valuable player and its best defenseman, served as an alternate captain, and contributed a career-high thirteen points (all on assists).

Stobart sat out all of last season after appearing twice for the Knighthawks in 2004, and Bergman was the eighth-overall pick in last month's dispersal draft; he tallied four goals and eight assists for the Anaheim Storm last season.

Headed to Rochester is the 24-year-old Chapman, a four-year veteran who was selected by Edmonton in the 13 July expansion draft. In 44 career games, he has scored twelve goals, handed out 25 assists, and scooped up 124 loose balls.

Knighthawks coach Ed Comeau must now decide how to spend the high draft pick, with published reports suggesting that forward Luke Wiles (Orillia, Ont.) is his top choice.

Orangeville, Ont., native Brodie Merrill is the consensus number-one selection, with the Portland LumberJax expected to keep the pick for themselves but nonetheless entertaining trade offers.