Top 20 NLL Player Ranking: Week Five
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The Colorado Mammoth’s somewhat quiet undefeated 4-0 run hasn’t been talked about much while the rest of the league is drooling over the likes of Minnesota and Philly doing the same, but really, no team has looked as dominant as Colorado so far this year. And a big reason for that? Gavin Prout.
Prout continues to run the ship in Denver, setting up both the tying and then OT winner against Portland and then throwing down one of this year’s sickest single game performances against San Jose, which included a stunner from behind the Stealth cage!! So while most of our previously hyped top draws are all kinda hot-and-cold right now, Prout has been the definition of consistent while he leads a Mammoth club that looks like anything outside of a Champ Cup crown will be considered a failure in 2008.
Anyways, here’s how our MVP race shakes-down after week five was put in the books…
| RK | PLAYER | LAST | +/- | TOTAL | CONS. | HIGH |
| 1 | Gavin Prout | 4 | +3 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Set-up tying and OT winner against Jax, then crushed the Stealth. | ||||||
| 2 | John Tavares | 3 | +1 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Led a crazy comeback against Philly, 2 G, 5A and a game high 14 loose balls. | ||||||
| 3 | John Grant | 1 | -2 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| More great individual play but, JR’s O is not lookin’ so hot four games in. | ||||||
| 4 | Ryan Cousins | 7 | +3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Yes Cousins at 4. Best pure defender with a scoring touch anywhere in the L. | ||||||
| 5 | Lewis Ratcliff | 10 | +5 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Looked even sharper with less looks and has Calgary back to respectability. | ||||||
| 6 | Dan Dawson | 4 | -4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
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Individually Daws looked good as usual, but he can’t do it all on his own (well w/ D$) |
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| 7 | Athan Iannucci | 15 | +8 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
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Crazy start to the season and probably already a lot of people’s choice for MVP. |
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| 8 | Bob Watson | 16 | +8 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Hands down the best keeper in the L. Shut Casey P down with some sick saves. | ||||||
| 9 | Casey Powell | 6 | -3 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| You could see he wanted the win so bad, but it just wasn’t his weekend. | ||||||
| 10 | Anthony Cosmo | 8 | -2 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
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Got hung out to dry a lot, but still posted some insane saves in that Colorado beating. |
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| 11 | Colin Doyle | 5 | -6 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Can Popeye wake up the Stealth’s stoned O? Will have two chances this week. | ||||||
| 12 | Ryan Ward | 14 | +2 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
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Still the quiet leader on a beautiful team concept O in Minnesota. So clutch too. |
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| 13 | Dan Carey | 20 | +7 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
| Does this guy ever have an off night? Another big weekend for Carey. | ||||||
| 14 | Jake Bergey | - | N/A | 1 | 1 | 14 |
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Playing some of the best ball of his long career. Big reason for Wings’ 3-0 start. |
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| 15 | Jeff Zywicki | 11 | -4 | 3 | 3 | 11 |
| Like most of the San Jose O, got man handled by the Mammoth’s D. | ||||||
| 16 | Gee Nash | - | N/A | 1 | 1 | 16 |
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Definitely making a case for keeper of the year honours. Has looked mint all year!! |
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| 17 | Steve Dietrich | 17 | - | 4 | 4 | 7 |
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Decent game against SJ but dehydrated on Saturday. No more doubles for Chugger? |
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| 18 | Nick Patterson | 18 | - | 4 | 4 | 14 |
| Caught in barn burner again, but made the big saves when called upon. | ||||||
| 19 | Blaine Manning | 19 | - | 3 | 2 | 19 |
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More great play from Manning against New York. The Prairie Dawg is back for sure. |
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| 20 | John Gallant | - | N/A | 1 | 1 | 20 |
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Haven’t heard about him much this year? When you’re on D, that’s a good thing. |
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LAST Last week’s rank
+/- Amount of spots player moved up or down
TOTAL Total weeks on the board
CONS. Consecutive weeks on the board
HIGH Highest season ranking
Check back every Tuesday morning for the NLL Insider’s Top 20 NLL Player Ranking.
The foremost boxla writer, Tutka is a former NLL scout and a longtime Inside Lacrosse contributor. Email him at paul.tutka@nllinsider.com.Rate This Story:
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