NLL Insider

Ryan Powell traded for the second time this off-season, now in Edmonton. (Photo: Matt J. Wiater)

NLL Insider has learned that earlier this week, the Edmonton Rush, Colorado Mammoth and Minnesota Swarm pulled the trigger on a three player trade that sees Ryan Powell going to Edmonton, Chad Culp to Colorado and Callum Crawford with Minnesota.

The deal marks yet another former Portland Lumberjax coached Derek Keenan player who Keenan has dealt for this past off-season in Edmonton, the Rush also signing former Jax defender Bruce Alexander earlier this week.

This week’s newly picked up pair join a growing list for former Portland players on Edmonton’s current roster, which also includes; Brodie Merrill, Matt Disher, Scott Stewart and Derek Malawsky.

Powell, who led Portland in scoring last year with 62-points and a career best 44-assists, was picked up by the Orlando Titans during the Lumberjax dispersal draft, shortly after traded to the Mammoth for part-time ‘09 rookie Matt Danowski, who told Inside Lacrosse earlier this week, he plans on playing for the Titans in 2010.

Like most of the rest of the Rush roster, Edmonton’s offense continues to be worked over be Keenan, Powell joining off-season acqusitions Gavin Prout, Ryan Ward, Dean Hill and Mark Scherman, and that’s not even including entry draft picks like Corey Small, Scott Tinning, Dane Stevens and Geoff McNulty.

The only remaining top five scorer from the Rush’s lineup last year is Andy Secore, Crawford’s 41-points good enough for fifth with Edmonton’s struggling offense in ‘09. Those 41 last year were career pro best digits after stints in Chicago, San Jose and Calgary, who selected Crawford in the second round of the ‘05 entry draft.

Like in Edmonton, Minnesota GM Marty O’Neill has made significant changes to last year’s underachieving Swarm roster, moving Culp from a side of the rug that will see the likes of Zack Greer, Ryan Benesch, Kevin Buchanan, Alex Turner, Kevin Ross and Tim Campeau all competing for a spot.

Culp, one of the more consistent even strength scorers in the NLL, moves to a Colorado offense that has gone through the same almost complete overhaul as both Edmonton and Minnesota, the Mammoth’s 172-regular season goals in ‘09 a team low while in Denver, the franchise not hitting total offensive production that low since ‘97 as the Balitmore Thunder, playing just a ten game regular season.

The three-team swap should be made official early this coming week.

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