2014 Minnesota Swarm Training Camp - Righties

December 4, 2014

The battle for playing time for righthanders on offense for the Minnesota Swarm is tough to judge as camp starts in one day. Lots of young talent that is looking to prove themselves at the NLL level while the team has the ability to bring up a couple players from transition for a change of pace, if the need arises or just because they are darned good. All of this righthanded tomfoolery; however, orbits around a glowing and guiding light called Showtime.

For folks who don't know or don't wear sweater vests, Showtime is the Minnesota Swarm's all-time leading scorer, Callum Crawford. In five years with the Swarm, Crawford has rewritten the offensive record books for the team, has become an assistant captain and one of best scorers in the NLL. What he is expected to do now and I am sure he is willing to take up the challenge, is to rally the rest of offense around him and turnaround an outfit that only averaged exactly ten goals a game last year, dead last in the league. For Swarm fans, we definitely want to see Showtime at his career best this season as he becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season. Will his play this year convince Swarm Owner and General Manager John Arlotta to do the unprecedented and franchise Showtime next year to prevent him from leaving or will Crawford be the next victim of the Swarm's "Logan's Run Personnel Philosophy"?

The Swarm knew they needed some righty help and they turned to the draft to select Miles Thompson, one of the renowned and ballyhooed Thompson brothers. I think all Swarm fans are really excited to see Thompson in action and hope he brings the magic he created playing at Albany. He claims he works well off-ball so expect him and Crawford to pull off quite a few screen and rolls for goals this season.

Maybe the player on the team with the biggest chip on his shoulder coming into camp is Scott Jones. Last year's seventh overall pick in the draft had a rough rookie season in 2014 to put it nicely. He rebounded well in the summer in Burnaby but the question is can Jones turn summer success into winter prosperity? He has this year to prove himself because with four first round picks (at the moment) in the 2015 NLL Entry Draft, the Swarm should be able to find his replacement if needed. Anyways, I do expect to see a rejuvenated Jones come to camp and really show why the Swarm made the investment in him.

Corbyn Tao returns for his fourth year with the Swarm but Tao only played one game last season which is surprising considering how the offense struggled throughout the year and from what we know, Tao was healthy. Can Tao regain the playing time he had in 2012 and 2013 or has the Swarm already passed judgment on the only player living in Minnesota year-round?

Filling out the righties is Marcus Holman, a member of Team USA at the 2014 World Field Lacrosse Championship and in his second MLL season, the league' s leading goal scorer. He works well with Logan Schuss in the summer with the Ohio Machine but can he make the transition to the indoor game and will the Swarm be patient enough to let him.

Swarm fans must remember that their best second and third options on the right side, at least coming into camp, are still transition players Jordan MacIntosh and Kiel Matisz. No matter what happens this season both of them will get regular minutes on offense. Just how many will be determined by the play of Thompson, Jones, Tao and Holman.

My hunch is that the Swarm have Thompson and Jones join Crawford in making the final cut. With MacIntosh and Matisz adding proven depth on the right side, it will be tough for Tao and Holman to make a dent even though I could see both on the practice roster. During the regular season, they may only dress Crawford and leave whether they play either Thompson or Jones a pre-game warmup decision knowing they have the two transition stars to push them. I think behind Crawford, one doesn't really know what to expect and if there is to be a surprise coming out of camp, it could come with this group.