NLL Insider

Kyle Ross, Boston Blazers

Based on his ‘09 National Lacrosse League season with the expansion Boston Blazers, Kyle Ross definitely put NLL Insider on notice that he deserved serious consideration for this year’s Top 50.

After the Mann Cup, we had no choice but to add his name to ’09’s list, without thinking twice.

He’s tenacious, hard working, physical and goes for broke almost every shift out. The Blazers’ Kyle Ross has taken his game to new heights over the past couple years and, in our books at least, was one of the best players on the floor during the entire Mann Cup series this summer.

With the brand names running around the court out in New West between both the Bellies and Excels, to call Ross one of the best is sayin’ something, but we’re sticking to it. A bold statement for a guy whose game is never tucked away in the corner, he makes sure of that.

Ross, who the Blazers picked up during the expansion draft via the Minnesota Swarm, plays at the top of Boston’s D depth chart, usually sharing top assignments with Jack Reid, the two highlighting a very underrated Blazer D that has also added Mike Kirk over the off-season.

Between keeping snipers in check, leading the Blazers in PIM with 53 minutes in the bin (tied for fifth in the NLL with Geoff Snider), and building a reputation for himself as one of the sport’s top up and coming defensive threats, Ross also managed to score one of last year’s most brilliant clutch goals with the game winner against the New York Titans, now known as simply, “The Last 10 Seconds in Beantown”. Check below to relive it

So back to the Mann Cup.

Mann colour commentator and NLL Insider’s own Ted Jenner, who had the best seat in the house at Queen’s Park, was just as impressed by Ross as everyone else at Insider. “During the Mann Cup run with the Bellies, he stepped his game up to a level I didn’t know he had,” said Jenner. “This past winter with Boston, he impressed many nay-sayers and people who didn’t think he belonged.

“Well, he does! The kid is legit and has taken on a work ethic that many should adhere too. He just never stops and each year he continually gets better and puts up more impressive stats.”

Fact: Over the past 20 years, there have only been seven players that have led the BCJALL in penalty minutes and also played in the NLL, with Ross being one of them (led the league in PIM in both ‘02 and ‘04). The other six players that have played at varying degrees in the NLL? Geoff Snider (whose 187 PIM in ‘01 is the second highest single season total ever), Kelly Hall, Tom Hajak, Jamie Hackel, Curt Malawsky and Dave Bremner. Calgary Roughnecks ‘09 draft pick and Delta Islanders power forward, Carlton Schuss, who led the province in PIM in ‘07 and ‘08, looks to be the next one.

# (last year)
47 (NR) Kyle Ross, Boston Blazers
48 (NR) Matt King, Calgary Roughnecks
49 (NR) Mac Allen, Rochester Knighthawks
50 (NR) Nick Inch, Minnesota Swarm

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