NLL Insider

Here we are, the beginning of December, and the Buffalo Bandits are in midseason form. But it’s not a fun form to be in.

So what’s up in Buffalo? Injuries are up, that’s what. And not the least of these is the status of forward Brett Bucktooth, who general manager/coach Darris Kilgour says is already out for the entire season. Playing in a Nation’s Cup game this summer, Bucktooth was knocked to the ground and his arm was trapped awkwardly underneath him. A later MRI revealed a complete tear in the rotator cuff, so Bucktooth’s gonna be busy with rehab. Were that the only injury Buffalo’s dealing with right now, Kilgour might be OK. But it’s not.

The list is longer than the Bandits want it to be, but dealing with and overcoming injuries is almost a hobby for the Bandits. Buffalo fought through all the pain last season to finish the regular season with a 10-6 record and hoisted the National Lacrosse League championship trophy, but defending that title this season already is presenting some significant challenges.

“We didn’t bring a lot of guys into camp,” says Kilgour. “We believe we have the players already in our system so we’ll be looking to them. But we have sustained a few injuries already. We went through this last year, with a ton of injuries to key people.”

Bucktooth played just four regular-season games last season after hip surgery. And while his newest injury is indeed disappointing, the Bandits have plenty of other injuires to tend to. Forward John Tavares has yet to practice because of a bum shoulder, forward Kevin Dostie is running carefully on a knee that’ll require surgery after the season, forward Roger Vyse has a calf-muscle issue and hasn’t practiced yet, and forward Delby Powless is out for 3-4 weeks as he recovers from torn tendons in his hand suffered in a fall outside of a house.

“We came in with 10 offensive players but are pretty much down to five,” Kilgour says.

The good news coming outta Buffalo’s front end is that forward Sean Greenhalgh is back after missing all of last season with a knee injury.

“He’s looking better than I remember him being,” says Kilgour. “He’s so quick and so good and getting himself free for a shot.”

That leaves Mike Accursi, Cory Bomberry and Mark Steenhuis up front, but Steenhuis hasn’t practiced yet either. Steenhuis hasn’t signed a contract and Kilgour says they’re just ironing out the details. He’s confident Steenhuis will be signed and depending on how all the injuries shape up, the Bandits may turn to Steenhuis and his ability to create offense more than ever.

Steenhuis, of course, also is a key part of the Bandits’ transition game. Veteran Pat McCready is a big part of that too, but he’s still recovering from shoulder surgery and Kilgour hopes to have him back on the floor in due time.

Any talk of Buffalo includes talk of its nasty, aggressive defense. But what would a Buffalo story be without mentioning holes to fill on that end, too? The Bandits had to make some tough choices over the summer regarding expansion and dispersal drafts, which left defenseman Kyle Laverty unprotected. Kilgour loved the style of Laverty, and says replacing him is where the Buffalo system comes into play.

After seeing mostly role play last season, guys like Kyle Schmelzle and Brandon Swamp will get long looks. Billy Dee Smith, who will be counted on to contribute more in the transition game, Chris White and Clay Hill were regular rocks last season and they’ll be counted on to set the pace for guys like Schmelzle and Swamp to maintain. Also, free agent Billy Warder has been impressive in camp. “Even in practice, he rubs people the wrong way,” Kilgour says of Warder’s agitation skills. “He brought some sandpaper with him, or something, and he seems to slash guys in just the right spots.”

In goal, Mike Thompson hopes to stay healthy but even if he misses a game or two, the Bandits have all the confidence in world in Ken Montour. The combination was enough to get Buffalo the key wins it needed thanks in large part to Montour’s leading the league in save percentage at 80%.

“We just have to keep moving forward,” Kilgour says. “We’re always making adjustments to the defense, but if we can stick to the system and even improve it, then things will work out. We try to do more than just have guys in a system. We want the guys to understand why they’re doing the things they’re doing.”

One thing Kilgour is not worried about is complacency.

“At the first practice, I told these guys they were the 2008 champs. But you’re nothing in 2009.”

Rate This Story:

(12 votes, average: 4.92 out of 5)

 Loading ...