NLL Insider

Well, it’s finally here. Opening weekend of the National Lacrosse League’s 2009 season and there isn’t a thing to talk about.

Ha. Of course that’s a joke. Problem is, as we try to calm our excited nerves and get ready for the opening faceoffs of the three Saturday night games, where do we start? Toronto’s playing New York in Florida, Buffalo opens defense of its title at home against Philadelphia, and Minnesota is amped to take its shot at Portland, last season’s runner-up. Is Athan Iannucci gonna play? How are the LumberJax gonna roll without Dangerous Dan Dawson in the lineup? How’s Sean Greenhalgh looking in Buffalo? Are all the new faces in Toronto gonna make a difference against a New York team that’s locked and loaded for a run at the Champion’s Cup?

Worthy questions, all, and they were all discussed earlier this week as the participating coaches gathered for the league’s conference call.

Philadelphia at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.

The Wings at Bandits game should be interesting as two of the East’s top teams collide. Last year, the Wings were in Toronto and witnessed a celebration of Jim Veltman’s career as he headed into retirement. Saturday night at 7:30, they’ll have to stand there and watch the Bandits raise the NLL Championship banner, and then they’ll take on the task of playing the Bandits without Nooch.

The league’s record-setting goal-scorer from a season ago is still on the shelf after summer knee surgery. Philly coach Dave Huntley said he had nothing new to report on Nooch, but did say things are going well. “Based on a conversation I had with Athan, his recovery is coming along nicely,” said Huntley. “We’re looking forward to getting him back, we just don’t know when that’ll be.”

While it’d be nice to have AI dressed, Huntley’s not panicking.

“We are bringing in a good core of guys back,” he said. “We did a lot of good things last year and hopefully we’ll be able to build on that. We’ve got a lot of talented guys with sticks so we have enough weapons.”

If any coach knows what it’s like to deal with injuries, it’s Darris Kilgour in Buffalo. The Bandits seemed to make a hobby of it last season, but that didn’t slow ‘em down in pursuit of the Cup, which they’ll celebrate in style Saturday night. The good bit of news coming out of Buffalo is the return of Greenhalgh, who missed all of last season with a knee injury.

“He’s looked really good,” Kilgour said. “He’s fit in well with our offense. He’s got that tremendous shot from outside and he’s great inside, too.”

The Bandits didn’t overhaul much of their roster, for obvious reasons. How much they’ll miss Kyle Laverty (expansin draft) on defense remains to be seen, but they’ve still got one of the league’s most imposing units out of the back door and keeper Mike Thompson is adept at keeping a lid on things. The Bandits have always been about dictating the pace of the game and Kilgour says that won’t change, which will make for an interesting collision of styles as Huntley brings in a team that he says will play a faster tempo than last season. “I think we can play play faster and we have every intention of doing so,” he said.

Still, Kilgour knows what comes with the territory of being a champ. “We’ve always had a target on our backs, and now it’s just a little bigger.”

Toronto vs. New York, 8 p.m.

Don’t expect to see the same Rock team take the floor this season as they’re a legit Eastern contender for the first time in a few seasons. Lots of new faces coming outta both doors, including a transition game that management admitted has been lacking in seasons past. How that new lineup fares against a Titans team that’s loaded with runners will be interesting, for sure, especially if the Titans haven’t yet signed scoring leader Casey Powell.

“We have a lot of new bodies and in particular, the offensive end,” Toronto coach Glenn Clark said as his boys get ready for Saturday’s Florida Lacrosse Cup. “We’ve become a little more physical and little more athletic. We feel we’re in a better position to respond (to teams with speed).”

The challenge, of course, is to get all these new sticks to work together and Clark says the pace of practice has been crisp.

Don’t expect much change from the Titans as they let loose their stable of runners. There’ll be no Jamie Hanford on the draw, but having Jarett Park screaming in from the outside to control the loose balls, the Titans still have the ability to control the pace. Titans coach Ed Comeau was optimistic they’d have Powell signed in time for the game.

Minnesota at Portland, 7:30 p.m. (EST) Saturday

It’ll be a different ballgame up in Portland, Ore., as the LumberJax adjust to life without Dan Dawson. Taken in the expansion draft by the Boston Blazers, Dawson’s out of town after helping the Jax to last season’s title game. It’s a big hit to the offense for coach Derek Keenan, of course, but he’s confident there’s still plenty of ability on his squad.

Keenan likes the depth of his left side and a youngster named Cory Conway will help shore up the firepower from the right side. People forget, too, that Ryan Powell and Peter Morgan are more than capable finishers as well. The addition of the retired Dallas Eliuk as an assistant coach has been a bonus too, Keenan said.

“He brings a different perspective and it’s been positive so far,” he said.

Coach Duane Jacobs and the Minnesota Swarm make the transition to the West division, and make no mistake, they’re amped. Rookie of the Year Craig Point is back after scoring 61 points, including 10 power-play goals. Throw in the addition of Kevin Ross up front and Kevin Fines out the back door and the Swarm look to utilize their speed in bigger bodies.

“We’re a bigger team than last year and still have decent speed,” said Jacobs. We’ve also got a couple of guys back from injury, like Riley Kemp, and he’s looked real good in practice. On defense, we should be stronger than we were last year.”

Rate This Story:

(+25 rating, 6 votes)

 Loading ...