NLL Insider

All season we’ve been closely tracking the top rookies, but after eight weeks, there’s still debate as to who is this year’s best.

Love the talk on the NLL Forums lately on rookies in general, and who you’re predicting to be this year’s Rookie of the Year (ROTY). This week we’ve taken a closer look at the top candidates for ROTY and predicted who’ll take the award at season’s end.

Throughout the league rookies have been contributing in big ways. Jamie Rooney out in Philly has now had a few clutch forth quarters/ OT games, including two goals in the last fifteen minutes of Philly’s 15-13 win over Colorado just last weekend. He’s fearless going to the cage and should be a solid pro for years to come.

Brandon Swamp also looks to be fitting in nicely out in Buffalo and making the most of his minutes on a roster depleted Bandits’ team. He collected two goals in Buffalo’s 16-14 up-set victory over Minnesota last weekend, a game in which rookie defenders Kyle Schmelzle and Kyle Ross again looked solid, putting themselves in a position to make the league’s NLL All-Rookie Team.

But three rookies have clearly been the cream of the crop this season.

ROTY Candidates

In order of the 2007 NLL Entry Draft selection:

1. Jordan Hall, New York (3-4)
12G (15.6% of team’s total), 27points, 7gp, 53gbs, .23SPCT, 3.8PPG
Listed as a transition player but plays all over the floor for a much improved New York team that finished 4-12 just one season ago. Plays on the PP. Ranks third on the team in goals scored and first amongst his team’s forwards and transition players in GBs with an impressive 53.

2. Merrick Thomson, Philadelphia (4-0)
11G (17.1% of team’s total), 22points, 4gp, 12gbs, .20SPCT, 5.5PPG
Goes to the net strong at 6′2, 210, plus has a cannon of a shot, scoring at the same shooting percentage as potential league MVP Athan Iannucci. Tied for second in team scoring, his projected 88 points this season would be an all-time NLL rookie record (83 points, Gavin Prout, 2002).

3. Craig Point, Minnesota (6-1)
14G (13.4% of team’s goals), 35points, 7gp, 39gbs, .19SPCT, 5.0PPG
Point’s been clutch for the Minnesota Swarm, one of the surprise teams of the year. Sitting Top-10 in league scoring, Point’s clearly been a large part of the team’s success. Leading the team scoring in three separate games, Point now sits third in Swarm scoring and two points behind star Ryan Ward. He’s on pace for an 80 point season.

Insider Picks

Although Jordan Hall has been playing his role in New York to a tee, and Merrick Thomson earned the league’s Rookie of the Month honors in January, the consensus from the NLL Insiders is Craig Point for this year’s Rookie of the Year.

“ROTY - on POINT! No doubt in my mind. He burst onto the scene during the Minto, made his footprint with Iroquois national team at the WILC, then nothing but impressive in every game he has played in this year. Big goals, timely plays and gets as much PT as anyone on the well balanced Swarm attack!” – T. JENNER

“Thomson, Point and Hall are all pretty safe picks but at this point in the season I’m giving the nod to Craig Point. Not just for his impressive offensive numbers but also because he’s scooped up the most LBs of all the Swarm forwards and he even won a few faceoffs in Toronto. I’m sure you’ll be seeing this sentiment from a lot of the other Insiders but Point is the full package.” - L. WARD

“Craig Point. Although I think Jordan Hall might get a bit ignored for playing for the little-hyped New York Titans; he’s definitely right up there with Craig Point and Merrick Thomson. Right now at least though, think Point has the edge over the other two first rounders due to the impact he’s had on the Swarm and the fact that he’s just killing the scoring charts. Like I’ve said before too, kid’s more composed than most seven year vets in this league, which from a rookie, never happens. Hard to argue against Point close to the halfway mark.” – P. TUTKA

“How do you choose between Thomson and Point? It’s a dead heat. Both have lived up to expectations and have the poise of veterans as both helped their teams off to great starts. If I have to pick one, I’ll stick with my original pick Merrick Thomson.” – B. SHANAHAN

Personally, I’ve paid my $7.50 CDN per game to watch all three of these guys hit the floor and Thomson in particular impressed. Don’t disagree that Point won’t be ROTY either, but have to give a shout out to Jordan Hall.

Hall, the No. 1 overall selection is doing his thing over in the Big Apple. He’s always one of the fastest players, contributes in transition and has helped the Titans improve from one of the Eastern Division’s worst teams to a playoff contender. His offensive stats when you break ‘em down to how much he’s contributing to his team’s total production also puts him right there with Thomson and Point, and he’s scoring at a higher percentage (.23 SPCT).

Head-to-head

This Friday, the Minnesota Swarm (6-1) travel to play Philadelphia (4-0) where you’ll get an opportunity to watch some of the league’s brightest young talent and a number of rookies. Both teams play an up-tempo style and it should be a fun game to catch.

The Swarm feature top rookies Craig Point and Kyle Ross, plus Andy Secore, who is technically a second-year pro and tied for second in league scoring. Philly boasts rookies Merrick Thomson, Jamie Rooney and Pat Heim plus sophomore studs Geoff Snider and Athan Iannucci, an early MVP candidate.

New York (3-4) travels to Rochester (3-3) in a game with post-season implications. The Knighthawks will ask for rookie Mat McLeod and/or Matt Lyons to produce, while New York will look for continued contributions from Jordan Hall as they fight for positioning in the extremely competitive Eastern Division.

Enjoy those games!

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