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Captains Switch Ships - Swarm Captain Suitor Traded

March 30, 2015

Your and mine favorite local professional indoor lacrosse team, the Minnesota Swarm, have made the most controversial and hated trade according to Swarm fans in team history just one day prior to the trade deadline:

The Minnesota Swarm get:

  • T Joel White
  • Second round pick in the 2017 NLL Entry Draft

The New England Black Wolves get:

The Minnesota Swarm have traded some pretty darn good and beloved players over the last few years but many Swarm fans today believe the management just traded away the heart and soul of the franchise, the only player that gets them out of their couch and to The Hive to watch Swarm lacrosse. If any Swarm fan still thought any Swarm player would never get traded, today's trade of Andrew Suitor to the New England Black Wolves should dissolve any of those illusions.

The Swarm's first round draft pick in 2010, Suits, as most people call and know him, became an instant favorite of an large majority of fans. Anyone who watched him play at The Hive could tell that Suitor bled Blue and Gold for every second of every game while making his opponents bleed red if they got out of line.

After being named to the NLL All-Rookie Team in 2011, Suitor became the second captain in team history after the trade of Ryan Cousins prior to the 2012 season. He was only 21 when named captain which is unheard of in the National Lacrosse League, but the vibe you got being around him drew you to follow him unconditionally. So when named the captain, it was like, yeah that's makes sense.

In 2012, Suits had his best year with the Swarm as he led them to their first ever playoff win in team history and a trip to the West Finals. He was named to the 2012 NLL All-Pro First Team and named NLL Transition Player of the Year. 2013 was a season that started full of promise both for Suitor and the Swarm and they got out to 3-2 start but an knee injury in Edmonton ended his season. He worked tirelessly to rehab his knee and made it back for the 2014 season where Suitor showed that the work he put in was worth it. 2014 was a bit of adjustment as he came back into form and by the start of the 2015, one knew that Suitor would soar higher. Enjoying his best season since 2012, Suitor already had 9 goals and 6 assists in 12 games before the trade today.

With the timing of the trade, we get to see Suitor very soon in enemy colors as he makes his Black Wolves debut on Friday night at Ho-Chunk Nation Field at The Hive.

There is a lot of angst in Swarmville today and some will feel no matter what Joel White does in a Swarm uniform, he will be known as the guy we traded Suits for. Give him the game this Friday and I think White may start to make turn some Swarm fans into believers.

White is in his fourth year in the NLL. He started his career in Rochester in 2012 getting some spot duty but prior to 2013 he was involved in a big trade involving Philadelphia. As a member of the Wings, White finally got regular playing and it soon became evident that if there is a ball on the ground, it will end up in White's pocket as he scooped 215 loose balls in two years in Philly. With the Wings move to New England, White became the first ever captain of the Black Wolves and was enjoying his best season in the NLL with 7 goals, 3 assists and 117 loose balls in just ten games. Like Suitor, White has a bit of the leader in him as he was captain in his junior and senior seasons at Syracuse.

The NLL trade deadline is 2:00 pm central on Tuesday, March 31st and the roster freeze at 11:00 am central on Thursday, April 2nd. Don't be surprised if more moves our made by the Swarm in the next couple of days as they try to fortify themselves for a push to the playoffs. Rumors have abounded from moving a goaltender, unloading players for picks and to save cash, etc. Just remember, it probably will be a surprise just like today's trade.

If there is a great thing about this trade, it is going to be able to see them go up against each on Friday as they make their debuts for their new teams. It should prove a memorable night due to this quite memorable trade in Swarm history.