NLL Insider

NLLInsider.com has learned from sources close to the Buffalo Bandits that off-season pickup Sean Greenhalgh is likely on the shelf for the entire 2008 season after injuring himself during a recent team practice.

Greenhalgh was taking part in 2v2 drills when his knee simply buckled and he dropped to the floor.

The initial hope was that it would be a minor sprain, keeping him out for no more than four to six weeks, but after an MRI was performed, results indicated Greenhalgh had in fact torn his ACL.

The injury, at minimum, usually has guys on the shelf for a good six months, which puts Sean at a June return date. The NLL playoffs usually finish up in late May. Depending on the severity of the tear, some athletes have missed in excess of ten months of action. Either way, as it stands now, it is extremely unlikely Greenhalgh will play this year, no matter how deep into the playoffs Buffalo goes.

The loss is a huge one for the Bandits, who dealt the likes of Steve Dietrich and Kyle Couling in order to score Greenhalgh in the off-season. This latest devastating blow also comes less than a week after the Bandits’ put forward Brett Bucktooth on the physcially unable to play list. Bucktooth is expected to miss substantial time this year as well.

Outside of Jason Crosbie, who was also part of the deal that saw Dietrich and Couling traded, the Bandits still have much of their fourth overall ranked offense intact heading into their season opener against Rochester on January 11. Many felt however that the inclusion of Greenhalgh this year would keep Buffalo on pace to stay in stride with Rochester’s high scoring O and likely make them a heavy favorite for this year’s title as well.

And although Bucktooth only posted 12 goals in his rookie season last year, much was expected in his sophomore run this year.

With both forwards injured, it may mean as many as 40 or 50 potential goals subtracted from Buffalo’s offensive tally.

With a home-and-home to open the season against the Knighthawks, we should find out fairly early how the Bandits’ offense responds to these two massive losses.

Stay tuned to the nllinsider.com for more on this developing story.

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