NLL Insider

Give Brad Banister the choice and the National Lacrosse League season will start tonight.

“I think we’ve got a really stacked lineup,” says the owner and general manager of the Calgary Roughnecks. “The veterans are in for an eye-opener here. We’ve got some really good young guys ready to challenge for positions.” Happy with the recent entry draft and in direct control of the team he owns, Banister’s amped for a 2009 season to get started so it can make up for a 2008 team that was, to a degree, a disappointment while battling some key injuries and inconsistincies.

This optimism isn’t new. The start of 2008 was loaded with all kinds of good thoughts, especially after an offseason that put Steve “Chugger” Dietrich between the pipes and loaded the floor with runners like Curt Malawsky, Bruce Codd, Kyle Couling and Kelly Hall.

But an 0-2 start quickly dampened that enthusiasm, along with the absence of go-to guy Tracey Kelusky. TK was on the shelf for almost two months dealing with concussion issues but dude’s pumped up for 2009 and ready to roll. With fellow finishers Malawsky, Josh Sanderson, Kaleb Toth, Scott Ranger and Jeff Shattler, how can the Riggers NOT be excited?

“TK’s healthy and he has a point to make,” says Banister. “He’s teaching and living in town. He’s looking good.”

When the injury bug caught up with Chugger in goal, who has since been traded to Edmonton, Calgary went out and got veteran Pat Campbell. He’s a mesmerizing goaltender who’s not afraid to leave the crease with the ball to create a new angle for a fast-break outlet pass. Fans may hold their breath when the tender takes a risk like that, but Banister loves it.

“He’s got the best stick skills I’ve ever seen in a goaltender,” says Banister. “I really like athletic goalies and Ryan Avery is pretty athletic too.”

Despite the maddening inconsistencies and frustrating injuries, the Riggers did manage to pull it together and even grabbed a playoff berth as the No. 3 seed out West with a 7-9 record. A first-round upset of No. 2 Colorado put the Riggers in the West final, but the season ended with a loss to No. 4 seed Portland.

Don’t look for any free tickets to Roughnecks games this season. Banister says he’ll be looking to sell tickets this season and his optimism beyond what he’s already got in the lineup is rooted in a couple of youngsters. Namely, the team’s top draft pick, Curtis Manning.

“I think we got the best player in the draft in Manning,” says Banister of Manning, who was named NLLInsider.com’s Defender of the Year and helped lead New Westminster to the Mann Cup finals.

Cayle Ratcliff is the younger brother of former Rigger Lewis Ratcliff and Joe Vetere not only had 61 points for the Burnaby Lakers last year, he was the Riggers’ first ballboy a few years back. That’s gotta count for something. It’ll be interesting to see how the Riggers come together, too, given they’ve all had more time to adjust to Sanderson, who arrived in a deal that sent the popular Lewis Ratcliff to Toronto before last year’s trade deadline. Sanderson’s got a rep as a feeder … so is he gonna have a better knowledge of the paths his cutters are making? Is the timing there? Is he gonna know where to put the ball? Of course dude already knows this stuff, but when you’re tossed into a new lineup, it takes some time to discover the nuances and particulars of your new mates.

So what’s it all come down to for the Roughnecks? Health and happiness.

“I’m happy with what we’ve got,” Banister says. “We’re getting ready to roll. We’ve just got to stay healthy and win more games at home.”

• Time’s running out to vote for IL’s Laxie Awards: InsideLacrosse.com

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