Below are some of the smaller items which made news in the National Lacrosse League between May 2001 and June 2001, including trades, rumors, odd facts and injury updates.

27 June 2001:
• The Vancouver Ravens have hired another British Columbia lacrosse notable to an all-star front office, appointing Dr. Dave Lough to the post of Assistant General Manager and Director of Scouting. Lough, a native of Burnaby, B.C., has served as co-coach of the Burnaby Junior Lakers (with Ravens head coach Paul Dal Monte) since 1995, leading the team to a pair of Minto Cup championships and three other trips to the championship round. Dr. Lough will provide us with the value of his experience and the weight of his network of relationships within the Canadian lacrosse community," Dal Monte said of Lough, an emergency medical specialist who has served at Burnaby General Hospital since 1970.
• In other Vancouver Ravens news, the team is creatively paying homage to the late Jack Bionda, universally regarded as one of the greatest lacrosse players ever and a former member of the WLA's Vctoria Shamrocks and New Westminster Salmonbellies. The Ravens' colors aren't just black, red, and gold; they are Raven Black, Spirit Red, and Bionda Gold. The color names double as titles for the team's three season-ticket options.

 

26 June 2001:
• As if the Western Lacrosse Association's Victoria Shamrocks needed any more help in their pursuit of the Mann Cup, enter one of NLL's all-time greats. John Tavares, who spends his winters with the Buffalo Bandits, has decided the Shamrocks, 11-0-1 this season and holding a commanding lead over second-place Burnaby, provide a better summer home than the Ontario Lacrosse Association's Akwesasne Thunder. "It's going to take me a while to fit in," said Tavares, who reports to Victoria on 2 July. "[Victoria] is a good team and I don't expect to be taking playing time away from other guys. Put me somewhere and let me work myself into it slowly... I am looking forward to it."

 

21 June 2001:
• As reported several days ago in this column, the Toronto Rock has traded goaltending prospect Matt Roik to the expansion New Jersey Storm for defenseman Darryl Gibson. Roik apparently will be heading right into the Storm's goal, or at least into a wide-open competition for the starting spot, while Gibson will fill the vacancy created when the Columbus Landsharks selected Craig Gelsvik in last week's expansion draft. "Gibson is a big, strong, fast player who will fit into our defensive strategy perfectly," Rock coach/GM Les Bartley said. "He will help us maintain our focus on defensive, low-scoring games."

 

20 June 2001:
• The Washington Power has acquired Jeff Shirk from the Calgary Roughnecks for a mid-round selection in this summer's entry draft. Shirk, taken from the Philadelphia Wings in last week's expansion draft, costs the Power a fourth-round pick in the August draft. "Having drafted Jeff while with the Philadelphia Wings, I know firsthand what kind of an impact player he could be," Power general manager Steve Govett said. "We are thrilled to have Jeff on the roster and look forward to giving him the opportunity to make contributions on the field."

 

18 June 2001:
• The long-awaited Gavin Prout trade may soon be a done deal. The expected first-overall pick in August's entry draft has vowed not to play for the Calgary Roughnecks, who apparently are set to give Prout his wish. The Outsider's Guide's spies report that Calgary is prepared to trade down one spot, sending the right to pick Prout to the New York Saints for at least Ben Prepchuk and the second-overall pick. Another young Canadian, possibly Ryan Campbell, could be Calgary-bound, too.
• The United States' team for next summer's World Championships, to be held 6-14 July 2002 in Perth, Australia, has been announced, and several members of the squad have strong indoor lacrosse ties. Yes, the name of the game is field lacrosse and yes, Major League Lacrosse has siphoned off many of the game's top players, but you should recognize a few of the names who made the cut. Leading the Americans into battle will be Darren Lowe, who played five seasons with the New York Saints, and his brother Kevin, who just completed his fourth season with the Saints. National Collegiate Player of the Year Doug Shanahan, a graduate of Hofstra and projected first-round selection in August's entry draft, also is on the team, as is Michael Powell of Syracuse, younger brother of Buffalo Bandits Ryan and Casey Powell and an expected future NLLer himself. Seven other national-team players are 2001 college graduates and could be seen during the NLL's draft day. Baltimore Thunder alumnus Andrew Ross (1998) also made the 23-man roster, while former Boston Blazer head coach Ron Fraser (1989-1997) is an assistant on Jack Emmer's coaching staff.
• Randy Mearns, an original Knighthawk, is heading back to New York, but it won't be with Rochester. Rather, the Calgary Roughnecks, who drafted the eight-year veteran with the eighth-overall pick in Friday's expansion draft, have traded Mearns to the Buffalo Bandits. "We're very happy to get Randy Mearns here in Buffalo," Bandits general manager Kurt Silcott said. "Randy's a great player and a tremendous leader. He was the captain of the Knighthawks for a number of years [since 1996] and his leadership will certainly help with the development of some of our younger players." The Roughnecks receive Scott Self in return (not a draft pick as reported here earlier today), but he may be on the move again very soon -- the New York Saints reportedly covet him as the player to be named later in last month's Jason Wulder trade.
• It didn't take long for the Toronto Rock's Matt Roik to be pulled back in Friday's expansion draft, with coach Les Bartley recalling the reserve goaltender after the first-overall pick. However, Roik's days in Toronto could be dwindling -- the New Jersey Storm is so eager to acquire Roik that it reportedly drafted Albany's Darryl Gibson for the sole purpose of trading him to Toronto for the young netminder. Roik, meanwhile, is reportedly wasting no time in telling friends that he is bound for north Jersey, lending credence to the trade rumors.

 

14 June 2001:
• Lost in the buzz regarding the rule changes announced yesterday was the league's officiating switch. In an effort to create greater accountability and more consistency from the officiating crews, the NLL has skimmed off one referee and dubbed him a linesman, giving him the responsibility for conducting faceoffs; enforcing the ten-second, over-and-back, and too-many-men rules; watching the benches during altercations, and ensuring that the shot clock is functioning. While the linesman's territory will be along the penalty box side of the field, from restraining line to restraining line, the two referees will divide the field along the diagonal, with each one being responsible for one triangular half of the field. The referees will be responsible for penalties, goals, resetting the shot clock, and the general play of the game.
• The Buffalo Bandits today designated John Tavares as a franchise player, disqualifying the reigning NLL most valuable player from unrestricted free agency. Without the franchise tag, Tavares would have been free, beginning Monday, to shop himself around the league, because he falls into the new class of free agency for unsigned players at least 32 years of age who have six or more years of service in the league. The Bandits must now pay Tavares ten percent more than maximum he otherwise could have received under the league's collective bargaining agreement. Each team is permitted to assign the franchise tag to two players in a given offseason, but the Bandits have not decided on who else to protect.

 

13 June 2001:
• Gavin Prout wants to play for the New Jersey Storm, and, needless to say, the expansion team is very interested in the expected first-overall draft pick (despite the fact that, at eighth-overall, the Storm has zero chance of drafting Prout without trading up). The Storm found an interesting method to try skirting August's player allocation, attempting to sign Prout as an undrafted free agent. "Under previous league rules, we thought [Prout] was eligible for the [September 1998] draft and since he wasn't picked, we thought we could take him," Storm general manager Chip Santye said. "But the league had a different interpretation. We're not sure if we're going to shut the door on trying [to sign Prout]. We'll see what happens." The Storm drafts eighth overall, and Prout would be long gone by then, so give the Storm an A for creativity and an F for their research. Prout was never eligible for the draft the Storm cited, because he was in the midst of his college career and intended to complete it.

 

11 June 2001:
• According to an unofficial release sent out today from the Board of Governors meeting in Hilton Head, SC, by NLL public relations director Doug Fritts, the league is going to a three-division alignment, beginning next season, and the outcome of the Columbus / Montreal affair has been decided (no details yet). Playoff format is still being discussed, and Tuesday's main topic will be rules changes brought up by the Competition Committee. Commissioner Jim Jennings' press conference Wednesday at noon should be a dandy...
• Design a logo for the expansion New Jersey Storm, and you might be joining the team when it travels to Toronto next season. The team has launched a design-the-logo contest, with air travel to Toronto, lodging, and two tickets to the game as the grand prize. Second prize is a pair of season tickets for the Storm's inaugural campaign, and the first 100 entries will receive two tickets to the Storm's home opener. Entries are due by 28 June. For more details, visit the NJ Storm Logo Contest page

 

10 June 2001:
• Marty Cooper, long believed to be seeking the head coaching position with the Ottawa Rebel, may finally have gotten it. Rumor has it that Cooper, late of the Columbus Landsharks, will replace Mark Vitarelli behind the Rebel bench in 2002.
• A Marty of a different sort may soon be coming to the Philadelphia Wings. According to several sources close to the team, former Boston Blazer, Syracuse Smash and Buffalo Bandit goaltender Marty O'Neill has been hired as Philadelphia's fourth general manager in the past two years. O'Neill would succeed Jim Rogers (now with the New Jersey Storm), who followed Steve Govett (now with the Washington Power), whose hiring in June 1999 ended the one-season acting GM tenure of Michael French, currently the Wings' executive vice president.

 

7 June 2001:
• The Buffalo Bandits avoided losing one of their two remaining original players when they resigned forward Rich Kilgour to a one-year contract today. Kilgour was eligible for unrestricted free agency if the Bandits had not signed him by 18 June. Kilgour, who joins John Tavares as the only players to have stuck with the team since its inaugural season (1992), has 65 goals and 128 assists in 92 regular-season games, as well as nine goals and eighteen assists in eleven postseason games. "We're pleased that Rich will stay here in Buffalo," general manager Kurt Silcott said. "His commitment to this team and this organization has been tremendous. Rich has been a cornerstone of this franchise since its inception and we're very pleased to get this deal completed." Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

 

5 June 2001:
• Projected first-overall pick Gavin Prout notes that the Calgary Roughnecks are likely to select him in the August entry draft if they do not trade the pick first, and has publicly advised the expansion team to do the latter. "They can pick me, but I can't think of a way I can play in Calgary next season," Prout said. "I'm definitely going to school [at Baltimore's Loyola College] next year and I don't think I will have time to go to Calgary for games. After I finish school, I want to work in Baltimore, so I can't see myself playing in Calgary." The New Jersey Storm tops Prout's wish list, but without a first-round pick in this year's draft, the Storm may find it impossible to swing a deal with the Roughnecks. The Saints, owning that pick via trade, could move up one slot and create an attractive option, but the Whitby, Ontario native says that his second choice would be the Toronto Rock.
• The expansion New Jersey Storm has announced ticket prices for its inaugural season at Continental Airlines Arena. In the lower bowl, sideline seats are $25, end zone seats are $20, and "VIP seating" (the first few rows at midfield on each side of the floor) are $50. Mezzanine seats will be $18 each.
• It's been heard through the grapevine that the Philadelphia Wings' Kevin Finneran will soon end his eleven-year career and head into team management -- although it might not be with the Wings. Finneran is said to be interested in joining the Wings alumni who are running other NLL teams (including Washington GM Steve Govett, Vancouver GM Dave Evans, and New Jersey assistant GM Jim Rogers), but if that's the case, the window might be closing on him to do it for this season. New Jersey apparently has finished hiring for the major positions, and the only other opportunities that seem appropriate for Finneran are the coach and GM vacancies with the Wings, or similar positions with a resurrected Columbus team (see related story).
• We knew it would happen sooner or later -- the Toronto Rock's British Columbian delegation is beginning to ask out. Attackers Dan Stroup and Chris Gill have each requested to be traded to the Vancouver Ravens, where they can play close to home. Rock coach and general manager Les Bartley agrees that for their efforts the past few seasons, Stroup and Gill deserve strong consideration for their respective requests. "They said it would be easier to play in Vancouver, so I think I owe Vancouver a call. But I'm going to do what's right for us. I won't rush a trade." A trade to the Ravens would likely involve the Ravens' first-round picks in this month's expansion draft and August's entry draft, which, when coupled with the Rock's interest in Gavin Prout (see above) and the Roughnecks' corresponding interest in Kaleb Toth, could dramatically change the face of the standing three-time NLL finalists.

 

2 June 2001:
• Ticket prices for Calgary Roughneck home games will soon be announced, probably in the next two weeks. Top ticket prices are expected to be no more than $35 Canadian, meaning that season tickets for the eight-game home schedule will not exceed $280.
• Apparently, the Philadelphia Wings may not get an outsider with NLL experience to take over the team, as reported here several days ago. Ted Sawicki reportedly is happy in Buffalo and will not pursue the openings with the NLL champions, while Marty Cooper, late of the Columbus Landsharks, is still angling for Mark Vitarelli's job in Ottawa (which, at least officially, still belongs to Vitarelli). If the Wings stay within the "family" to fill the known vacancy at GM and the expected one at coach, current assistant coach Adam Mueller, current player Kevin Finneran, and former player Scott Gabrielson are expected to receive strong consideration.
• The Vancouver Ravens are disappointed at their draft position for both the expansion draft later this month and the entry draft in August, and understandably so. The Ravens fell to third in both drafts, behind expansion brethren Calgary and New Jersey. "We still might be able to package something up and make a deal somewhere," general manager Dave Evans said. "[Head coach] Paul [Dal Monte] and myself will sit down soon and see how a big a gap there is between [Gavin Prout, the expected top pick] and the No. 2 and No. 3 selections. It just would have been a heck of a lot easier and we'd have more options if we had the first pick." Ravens governor Tom Mayenknecht says the Ravens will take their bad luck in stride. "We've got such a great front office and the advantage of having such a great amount of talent in B.C., some of it unaffiliated. I guess you can't have everything."

 

31 May 2001:
• Big changes in Philadelphia Wings field management may be on the way. According to sources close to the team, coach Tony Resch will not be returning, presumably because of the added workload assumed by becoming athletic director of La Salle High in Philadelphia. Also, contrary to recent Wings personnel decisions, Resch and former general manager Jim Rogers (who recently resigned to join the expansion New Jersey Storm) may be replaced by outsiders to the "family." Ted Sawicki, coach of the Buffalo Bandits, and Marty Cooper, former coach of the Columbus Landsharks, are reportedly interested in the Wings' vacant positions, as are the Wings in them.

 

30 May 2001:
• The New Jersey Storm either has already hired longtime Canadian coach Jim Hinkson as its head coach or is about to do so, according to fresh rumors circulating in Ontario. In addition to his experience coaching in Ontario, Hinkson was an assistant coach with the New York Saints in 2000.

 

26 May 2001:
• Bob McMahon has wasted little time in finding an assistant coach. The new head coach of the Albany Attack has chosen Bob Hamley as his second-in-command. Hamley played four years for the Buffalo Bandits, from 1992 to 1995.

 

24 May 2001:
• The NLL announced this week a schedule expansion, from fourteen regular-season games per team to sixteen. The change was not unexpected, although it was generally believed that it wouldn't be announced until next month's Board of Governors meeting.
• Expansion entries Calgary, New Jersey, and Vancouver do not yet know their draft positions for the 15 June expansion draft or the August entry draft, but they will soon. The three new teams will be awarded their respective positions by lottery, on 1 June.
• If you scratched your head at the recent New Jersey Storm / New York Saints trade of draft picks, scratch no more. Rumor has it that the trade, seemingly a steal for the Saints, was actually territorial compensation by the Storm. That thinking makes sense, since the Storm and Saints likely will be competing to attract fans from New York City.
• Also going around the rumor mill is that the New York Saints will make another foray into having a Canadian assistant coach. Following Jim Hinkson's stint with the Saints, in the 2000 season, New York is expected to bring Shane Sanderson aboard. Sanderson, brother of Montreal coach Terry Sanderson, coached the Detroit Turbos in the mid 1990s.