Who will the Swarm Protect for 2008?

July 8, 2008

This year's expansion draft in the National Lacrosse League is on the horizon on July 24, 2008. The teams must submit their protection lists on July 8, 2008. The Boston Blazers will be the only team picking players this year for a second consecutive year. Last year, the Blazers picked thirteen players but their players were later dispersed after they decided to wait a year to start up after the lockout in October. The Blazers are starting from scratch again as they prepare for the return of the NLL to Boston. Dan Dawson and Peter Veltman are already Blazer property after being selected by Boston during the Arizona Sting dispersal draft on June 30, 2008. The expansion draft will provide twelve new teammates for Dawson and Veltman as the Blazers will be able to select one player from each team that played during the NLL 2008 season.

Each team in the league gets to protect either:

1. Ten runners and two goaltenders
2. Thirteen runners and one goaltender

In each of the three expansion drafts, the Minnesota Swarm have went for the first option. Most teams generally have went with option two. Basically one goaltender equals three runners. Swarm General Manager Marty O'Neill is a great goaltender mind as he played the position in both the NLL and in the summer in Canada and even makes goaltending equipment. As far as I know, Marty is the only former goaltender who is now a general manager in the league. I think his previous playing experience at the position has been a big factor in always protecting two. Boston needs at least two of them and the expansion draft is probably their best vehicle to get both a veteran netminder and a young understudy to take over in a couple years. The Swarm have both of those right now, which leads me to think Marty will protect first two noted below:

1. Nick Patterson - 16 Games 10-4 11.99 GAA .768 Save %
   Patterson became the undisputed number one goaltender last year after the Matt Disher trade before the season started. Nick made his first NLL All-Star debut as the starting goaltender for the East. Last year, he became the first Swarm goaltender to start every game during a season.
2. Kevin Croswell - 5 Games 0-2 11.26 GAA .789 Save %
   Croswell filled in well in relief of Nick in the little amount of time that Nick needed to be relieved. He is having a decent summer this year for a struggling Langley team. If exposed, Boston would definitely be interested.
3. Angus Goodleaf - 2008 Practice Roster
   Goodleaf was drafted by the Swarm last year but spent the year on the practice squad. This summer he is playing Jr. A ball for Six Nations as their starting goaltender.

With my prediction of Patterson and Croswell being protected, that means ten runners will be protected. Somebody on the following list will be going to Boston, even if temporarily, so lets see who the top ten runners will be protected:

1. Ryan Cousins - 16 games 9g 5a 14 pts 87 LB
   Cousins is the two time defending NLL Defensive Player of the Year. May need back surgery this summer according to newspaper reports but expect him back strong and in charge come the end of the year.
2. Ryan Ward - 16 games 33g 36a 69 pts 56 LB
   Ward came off his second straight NLL All-Star appearance. He scored a Swarm season record 33 goals during the regular season.
3. Craig Point - 16 games 27g 34a 61 pts 74 LB
   Point was named the 2008 NLL Rookie of the Year in his first campaign as he fit in smoothly into the Swarm's offense.
4. Jon Sullivan - 16 games 3g 6a 9 pts 65 LB
   Sullivan has played in a record 51 consecutive games for the Swarm which spans back to the beginning of the 2006 season. Depending on the health of Cousins, Sully will be expected to step up even more as the anchor of the defense.
5. Ryan Sharp - 15 games 9g 11a 20 pts 78 LB
   Sharp came back strong in 2008 after a year of tumult in 2007. The Swarm's best transition threat is a must need in the line up for every game.
6. Sean Pollock - 16 games 24g 36a 60 pts 64 LB
   Newly married as of last month and turning 26 on July 7, Pollock continues to be a larger force in the Swarm offense. His five game winning goals were tied for first in the league last year.
7. Noah Talbot - 16 games 0g 6a 6 pts 49 LB
   Talbot is another stud defenseman for the Swarm that is attracting a crowd of western NLL general managers that are interested in his services. If they want Talbot, they will have to bring quite a package to Marty's doorstep.
8. Chad Culp - 16 games 23g 32a 55 pts 89 LB
   Culp is the Swarm best lefthanded forward after the departure of Andy Secore last week in the dispersal draft. Culp recharged himself last year after a rough 2007 and maybe the best forechecker on the team.
9. Darren Halls - 7 games 2g 1a 3 pts 27 LB
   Halls was really picking his game up until his season was finished on March 8, 2008. A solid defenseman who is a very capable face off man, Halls is only 23 and highly regarded by Marty. If he wasn't injured, Halls would have been in the starting line up for the rest of the season.
10. Nick Inch 8 games 0g 1a 1 pts 20 LB
    Inch proved in the second half of the season how good of defenseman he can be. Great size with good speed, Inch will be around for a long time.
    
    This is where things get tricky as we have players 11 - 13, who would be protected if Marty goes with a 13-1 protection model.
    
    
11. Travis Hill - 14 games 3g 11a 14 pts 108 LB
    Hill became a fixture in the line up in 2008. He tied a team record with 108 loose balls and set a team record with 86 penalty minutes. The only reason he didn't play in every game in 2008 was because he got suspended twice for fighting and aggravating the opponent, which he did well in 2008.
12. Eric Pacey - 15 games 2g 8a 10 pts 45 LB
    Pacey was an assistant captain last year in his best season in a Swarm jersey.
13. Dean Hill - 7 games 9g 10a 19 pts 9 LB
    In 2007, Hill torched opponents nets for 32 goals in his rookie season. In 2008, asthma ended Dean's season early. Following him this summer at Six Nations, it looks like Dean is already putting 2008 behind and getting ready for a return to form in 2009.
    
    I think after 13, there are many good agruements that can be made for a few of the following to be protected. It's just a matter that the Swarm have more good players than can be protected. Remember, the Swarm will only lose one player and even though that player will be a good player, it is not the end of the world.
    
    
14. Rory McDade 8 games 4g 13a 17 pts 23 LB
    McDade filled in for D. Hill in the second half of the season. He was always fighting for loose balls, setting picks and getting an assist or two. This summer, he is third in the WLA in scoring.
15. Riley Kemp - Injured reserve in 2008
    Kemp is on schedule to return for the 2009 season after a knee injury that robbed him of playing in 2008. An original Swarm, Riley is being counted to return to pre-injury form, if possible.
16. Dan Marohl - 7 games 6g 12a 18 pts 18 LB
    Marohl was acquired in a trade from Philadelphia in March but got off to slow start due to an injury. When he returned against his old team in April, Marohl became a fixture on offense the rest of the way. Will a full season in Minnesota produced numbers that he had in Philly.
17. Kyle Ross - 13 games 3g 6a 9 pts 77 LB
    Ross performed well in his first full season in the NLL. A nice transition threat and is proficient at scooping up loose balls. Also, will throw down on a dime.
18. Colin Achenbach - 8 games 2g 4a 6 pts 35 LB
    Achenbach got his opportunity to shine when Halls went down and showed a lot of potential in transition. Will have surgery for a torn labrum on July 9 but recovery should be complete by the start of training camp.
19. Ian Rubel - 5 games 0g 2a 2 pts 9 LB
    Rubel came over from Toronto just before the trade deadline to add depth to the defense.
20. Justin Norbraten - 6 games 0g 5a 5 pts 21 LB
    The Swarm 2007 first round draft pick is capable of playing both sides of the ball and can handle face offs. The issue for Norbraten may be his ability to travel to make games. According to Marty, Justin's potential is limitless.
21. Keith Cromwell - 6 games 5g 8a 13 pts 35 LB
    Cromwell is a versatile lefthander with size but Marty is definitely looking for more help on the left side which may detrimental to Cromwell's future in Minnesota. Both Cromwell and Marohl may be players of interest in Boston as they are looking to build with American players.
22. Andrew Biers - 2 games 1g 2a 3 pts 8 LB
    Biers returned last March from a 2007 knee injury that ended that season. May not fully be recovered from that injury as he did not play after March 29.
23. Chris Courtney - 2 games 1g 1a 2 pts 9 LB
    Courtney was drafted in the second round of the 2007 draft. He scored a goal in his first NLL game in the season opener in Toronto.
24. Marc Jackson - 2008 Practice Roster
    Jackson was a second round pick in 2007 by the Swarm and was the last player cut before the 2008 season started. Marty is very high on the young defensemen as are alot of the current squad.
25. Brad Favero - 2008 Practice Roster
    Favero is a lefthanded forward who is lighting up the Senior B circuit in Ontario this summer. Is it enough to get him a spot on the roster in 2009.
26. Mark Miyashita - 6 games 1g 3a 4 pts 43 LB
    Miyashita saw his second straight season ended due to a knee injury. Did he come back to early and can he make another come back?
27. Ashton McLean - On the physically unable to perform list
    McLean played in the 2007 playoff game against Buffalo, but he had a serious knee injury a month later at the World Indoor Lacrosse Championships which may have ended his career. Or maybe not.
28. Brad Dairon - Did not play in 2008
    Dairon was selected in last week's dispersal draft. A lefthanded forward with size, Dairon, is the type of player Marty is looking for but Dairon has not played in the NLL or in Canada in the summer since 2006. We don't even know if he is planning on returning to play.
29. Kevin Milkowski - Hold Out List
    Milkowski was drafted in the 2006 draft but was injured in training camp. Played a couple games this summer in Nanaimo but it is unclear if he still is on that team.