NLL Insider

We’re less than two weeks away from droppin’ the names that really matter.

Not that the watch-lists from week-to-week haven’t mattered, but once Alberta closes up shop and rips into their post-season, we’ll be making our final nominations for the top ten ballers that will be up for the National Junior Player of the Year, as well as our top five for Defender, Goalie, Coach and Rookie of the Year, all junior ball of course.

Then on the heels of the Minto Cup, we’ll name our winners for each category.

So even though we’re doin’ our best to keep tabs on all the top dawgs, make sure to keep emailin’ us who you think should win this thing. And try giving us a reason for your pick, although all those “I want to have Cody Jamieson’s baby,” kinda gives us an idea of who you’re likin’ for the first ever NJPY (yuck, that does not roll of the tongue as nicely as we had hoped).

Anyways, snuck some names in this week’s watch-list that haven’t seen any ink yet this year, but definitely deserve it…

Kevin Brownell, Burlington Chiefs, Forward (21GP - 42G - 30A - 72PTS)
The Burlington sniper has been everything and more than what the Chiefs could have hoped for this summer and the impact he’s had on The Money Ballers has only been matched by few guys anywhere in the country. He’s got more game winners than anyone within the OLA’s top 20 scorers and his consistency (three or more points in 16 of his 21 games) has allowed the Chiefs to become the major player many thought they would be in 08. Can’t wait to see what he has left in the tank for a sick post-season run.

Dan Coates, St. Catherines Athletics, Defender (21GP - 5G - 16A - 21PTS)
As always, Coates has been one of the league’s most consistent pure D guys again this summer, while his gutsy lead by example play has the A’s killin’ like we haven’t seen from them in years. And although he might not have the points to show it, trust us, this guy gets the A’s transition movin’ up the court.

Jarrett Davis, Coqtuitlam Adanacs, Forward (17GP - 25G - 49A - 74PTS)
Although some of the more high profile names and Eastern imports have grabbed most of the headlines in Coquitlam, Davis has been just as good as anyone else we’ve mentioned over the past six weeks. In fact, he might be better than a lot of what we’ve mentioned this year. Davis has scored some of the Adanacs’ biggest goals down the stretch, helping the team to their first regular season title since, well, forever. Look for the athletic forward to be one of the biggest impact players for Coquitlam as they try and land their first ever Minto Cup title.

Matt Flindell, Victoria Shamrocks, Goalie (1136Min - 4.91GAA - .883SV%)
He’s got the best tender digits in all of BC and even has a slight edge over guys like Nick Rose and Justin Delormier in Ontario. Even with a slew more minutes played this year versus last summer, Flindell allowed ten fewer goals as he dominated the charts from start to finish in 2008. The buzz is he’s the odds on favorite to be named tender of the year out West, and with the numbers he posted and Vic finishing second in the province, there’s good reason for all that buzz. Did he do enough to be named our first ever keeper of the year?

Alex Gajic, Burnaby Lakers, Forward (19GP - 45G - 50A - 95PTS)
On top of his province leading 95 points, Gajic also spent two full periods worth of minutes in the penalty box (power forward numbers), not givin’ up an inch while every defender in BC tried to chop his head off. Gajic had more double teams and guys dragging off his sweater than anyone in the country, probably even more than Jamieson. His point total this year is the highest the league’s seen since Garrett Billings posted 104 in 2005. His points per game average this year however coulda had him totaling as many as 105 points.

Cody Jamieson, Six Nations Arrows, Forward (19GP - 54G - 36A - 90PTS)
Although his points per game total isn’t likely gonna match Gajic’s five points per game finish, Jamieson could take the national scoring title with a combined seven points in the Arrows’ last two games against Peterborough and Akwesasne.

Curtis Manning, New Westminster Salmonbellies, Defender (13GP - 10G - 10A - 20PTS)
Since he came back into the New West camp during the Bellies’ ruthless two game sweep over Delta at the end of May, the Salmonbellies hard hitting D hasn’t given up much. From those games one, New West has only given up double digits in a single game once, and that was that OT L at Bear Mountain. Should be interesting to see how Manning leads his crew against the T-Men in the first round of the playoffs.

Nick Rose, Orangeville Northmen, Goalie (963Min - 5.04GAA - .876SV%)
Although Justin Delormier and Evan Kirk might have something to say about it, like Flindell in BC, it sounds like Rose should have things on lockdown when it comes to provincial tender of the year honours, even though the Northmen have one nasty one left on their sked against Burlington on Friday night. He’s been even more clutch than last year’s rookie of the year showing and will no doubt be on the ticket when we nominate our top five tenders in a couple weeks.

Nate Schmidt, Edmonton Miners, Forward (11GP - 20G - 11A - 21PTS)
Although the Edmonton Eclipse are owning the standings, maybe the most impressive individual showing this year has been the always lethal play of Miners’ sniper Nate Schmidt. Outside of some of NLL Insider’s insiders droppin’ their jaws while watching Schmidt post up some stellar games this summer, we’ve also received a whack of support for him from a pool of Alberta lax junkies since the start of the junior season. Schmidt’s appeared in the last two Minto Cups and if anyone’s gonna stop the Eclipse this year, it looks like Nate and the Miners are gonna be the boys to get ‘er done.

Corey Small, St. Catharines Athletics, Forward (20GP - 37G - 38A - 75PTS)
His five goals the other night against the Tommies looks like it’ll give him a decent chance to hit that 40 goal mark, something only a handful of guys anywhere in Canada were able to do this year. With some talk already of Small being named the province’s MVP, it’d mark the first time an A’s player has nabbed one of the top honours since Matt Vinc won the Green Gael hardware in 2003. You’d have to think Small is on the short list for the Gaylord Powless  Trophy too, which he already won in 2005.

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