NLL Insider

NLL Insider

Craig Gelsvik and Rob Kirkby set to return to Calgary Roughnecks for 2010 season

The defending champion Calgary Roughnecks are close to bringing back vets Craig Gelsvik and Rob Kirkby. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

NLL Insider has learned that the Calgary Roughnecks are close to finalizing deals with former team members Craig Gelsvik and Rob Kirkby that will have both former pro vets playing for the defending champs in 2010.

Gelsvik and Kirkby both played huge roles for the Roughnecks during their ‘04 Champion’s Cup run, but after work commitments and an injury kept them sidelined, respectively, both have missed substantial time in the league, neither Gelsvik or Kirkby playing over the past two winters in Calgary. READ MORE »

NLL Insider

NLL: Darris Kilgour steps down from General Managing Role and a Bandits update

Before the Bandits made their final pick at 60th overall, Darris Kilgour looked content and happy sitting at the bar in the HSBC Arena’s 100 level Harbour Club. There were several factors that all could add up to Darris’ happiness: The success of the draft, the health of the team, and/or the relief of no longer having to balance both the General Management and Coaching aspects of the team. READ MORE »

NLL Insider

Gee Nash likely done in Colorado, seeking move closer to home

Colorado Mammoth keeper Gee Nash is looking for a move closer to home base.

It certainly appears that long serving Colorado Mammoth goaltender, Gee Nash, has played his last game in a Mammoth sweater, currently seeking a move either through a trade or potentially signing as a restricted free agent with a team that would have him playing closer to home (Ajax, Ontario).

Nash, who the Mammoth came close to moving during the ‘09 NLL season via a trade with the Toronto Rock, missed most of last winter with a nagging back injury, later having surgery in late May to further repair the injury. READ MORE »

NLL Insider

New York Titans move to Orlando to be made official midweek

The Titans long anticipated move to Central Florida will be made official later this week. (Photo: Dave Sanders)

NLL Insider has confirmed today’s report from The Orlando Sentinel with a source close to the league, the New York Titans franchise planning on officially announcing the team’s move to Orlando, Florida on Wednesday this week.

Last week The Sentinel reported on some ongoing negotiations between the Titans and city of Orlando (and Amway Arena) that were likely the last piece of the puzzle holding up any official announcement from the team in their long anticipated move to Central Florida after spending the previous three years in the New York and New Jersey area. READ MORE »

NLL Insider

Rod Jensen to join Calgary Roughnecks coaching staff

Last year's champs are close to finalizing their bench heading into the 2010 season. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

NLL Insider has learned that the Calgary Roughnecks are close to officially announcing the addition of Rod Jensen as the team’s defensive coach heading into the 2010 National Lacrosse League season.

Jensen joins the recently promoted Dave Pym and first-year pro coach Curt Malawsky on the defending Champion’s Cup winner’s bench, fully replacing the departed Troy Cordingley and Terry Sanderson from last year’s staff, both of whom have landed in Toronto, Cordingley of course being named the league’s ‘09 coach of the year. READ MORE »

NLL Insider

Titans still working on deal with city/Amway Arena, announcement expected soon

The expected new home of the Titans, Amway Arena in Orlando, Florida.

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that the New York Titans ownership group is still in negotiations with the city of Orlando on a lease agreement, that once completed, would have last year’s Champion’s Cup finalists finally making their long anticipated move to Central Florida.

“We’re still in discussions with them, and things are progressing nicely,” said Orlando’s venues director in today’s edition of The Sentinel. “Hopefully, in the next week or so there will be more to come.”

Earlier today, NLL Insider confirmed with a source close to the situation that although the team is still negotiating the lease with the city, it’s thought that things will be finalized very soon, an official announcement made by the Titans organization potentially as early as next week. READ MORE »

NLL Insider

Source: New York Titans close to making move to… Orlando

Mickey Mouse and screaming with joy child potentially reacting to the Titans rolling into town.

After several months of behind the scenes speculation and a flurry of rumours that have engulfed this summer’s National Lacrosse League off-season, the future of the New York Titans finally seems to be virtually 100% clear.

NLL Insider has learned from numerous sources that the long speculated move of the Titans to Orlando, Florida is looking increasingly likely at this point, ownership crossing T’s and dotting I’s over the past few weeks, nixing the rumoured move that would have had the Titans at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, a destination that was very much a serious full-time option earlier this off-season.  READ MORE »

NLL Insider

PLPA withdraws petition to land Brodie Merrill free agent status

Brodie Merrill has withdrawn his petition for UFA status. (Photo: Matt J. Wiater)

NLL Insider has learned from a league source that the PLPA has withdrawn their petition on behalf of Brodie Merrill in their search for unrestricted free agency status for the former Portland Lumberjax two-way defender.

Last week, NLL Insider had learned that Merrill, after not receiving payment for an undisclosed sum from his standard player agreement with Portland, was seeking free agency, a similar situation to what occurred during the ‘03 off-season, when former New York Saints players, Gavin Prout, Gee Nash and Derek Suddons, were eventually granted free agency after not receiving outstanding sums from the Saints franchise in a timely manner. READ MORE »

NLL Insider

Toronto Rock also release Jason Clark, trade Mark Scherman to Edmonton Rush

Jason Clark, with the Chicago Shamrox in '08, was released by the Toronto Rock this week. (Photo: Dave Sanders)

The overhaul in Toronto continues, the team also releasing long time pro vet and multiple Cup winning forward, Jason Clark, who joins former teammate Jason Crosbie as the latest players axed by newly appointed Rock GM, Terry Sanderson.

Sanderson was not done this week however, moving former franchise first pick from the ‘07 entry draft, Mark Scherman, who went to the Edmonton Rush, the Rock receiving former K-W Braves captain and current K-W Kodiaks defender, Dave Cutten, who has impressed this summer playing his first full season of Sr. A ball after suiting up for the Sr. B Wellington Aces in ‘08. READ MORE »

NCAA, NLL Insider

Akwesasne and St. Regis stud, Jeremy Thompson, accepted at Syracuse

The Syracuse Orangemen screaming onto the field after winning the '09 National Championship.

Inside Lacrosse’s Sean Burns is reporting that after an agonizingly long wait, Jeremy Thompson has finally been given the green light at Syracuse University, the school accepting and enrolling the former LaFayette High School star, IL confirming with Syracuse earlier today.

Thompson, who last season completed his final year of Jr. A lacrosse with the Akwesasne Indians and is currently suiting up for the MSL’s St. Regis Indians, had been rumoured to have potentially been making the move to Syracuse last year, instead spending ‘09 as an NJCAA All American middie at Onondaga Community College, scoring a hat-trick in the NJCAA final en route to the school’s third junior college title over the past four years. READ MORE »