by By NLL.com
List of prospects eyed by Edmonton for first & seventh overall selections
The Edmonton Rush is one of the National Lacrosse League’s richest teams when it comes to boasting youthful talent. They are about to get even richer as the Rush hold the first overall pick in the NLL’s 2014 Entry Draft which takes place on Monday, Sept. 22 at Toronto Rock Athletic Centre in Oakville, Ontario.
That selection comes courtesy of yet another blockbuster trade orchestrated by GM/Head Coach Derek Keenan – this time dealing the Rush’s own third overall pick plus goalie Brodie MacDonald to Minnesota for the #1 selection, a second-rounder in 2015, and goalie Tyler Carlson. The third overall pick came to Edmonton from Keenan’s wheeling-and-dealing in 2011 that shipped Brodie Merrill out East and eventually put former No. 1 pick Mark Matthews in black and silver.
“I don’t think there’s another Mark Matthews available this year, but there are some very good players. We’re going to look to fill a specific need and there are four or five players who can fill that role,” said Keenan.
On top of the first overall choice, the Rush have the seventh overall pick in the first round so their cupboard is about become even more well-stocked with talent.
“At number one we’ll look for a right-handed offensive player,” said Keenan. “At number seven, that’s a little tougher. If you look at our team we don’t have a lot of needs. Maybe a defenceman, maybe a goalie. And with the later picks, maybe you find a diamond in the rough. With a 20-man roster, you have to have competent, capable players on the practice roster.”
Edmonton will also step to the podium at No. 19 pick in Round 2, and then at No. 35 (fourth round), No. 44 (fifth round), and Nos. 47 & 53 (sixth round).
Here’s a look at some of the players the Rush are eyeing for their two first-round selections:
Jeremy Noble
The Skinny: A bit on the small side at 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds, but he has Denver University roots meaning a direct tie-in with Mark Matthews. The Orangeville, Ont., product was a 2012 Third Team All-American with 23 goals and 23 assists. The midfielder also has some pro experience with Denver’s entry in the MLL.
The Coach Says: “A great leader and he’s a winner. He’s not very big but he’s very quick and strong on his feet. I’ve always liked him.”
Ben McIntosh
The Skinny: The 6-foot-2 midfielder from Drexel University was an Honorable Mention All-American with 38 goals. The Coquitlam, B.C., native finished his collegiate career with 52 goals and was a Dragons co-captain this past season.
The Coach Says: “A big, strong guy with tremendous hands. He’s quick and a great off-ball player. I think he’ll be a scorer in the NLL.”
Mark Cockerton
The Skinny: One thing’s for sure, he knows how to make a highlight reel. He won a Minto Cup under Coach Keenan with the Whitby Warriors in 2012 while pocketing a whopping 45 goals and 50 assists. At the University of Virginia, the 5-foot-10, 175-pounder was named All-ACC and finished tied for eighth on the Cavaliers’ all-time goal-scoring list. He also has a superb pedigree as his father Stan was an elite player.
The Coach Says: “I think he’s the most talented player in the draft. I’m probably a bit biased as I coached him in Whitby, but we wouldn’t have won the Minto Cup without him. He’s athletic and skilled. He’s just that good.”
Eli McLaughlin
The Skinny: A hot commodity from the B.C. league having scored 47 goals including 17 on the power-play last season with Delta and Coquitlam. The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder went on to rack up 22 points in six games during the Minto Cup.
The Coach Says: “I really like him. He shoots really well, has good hands, and has good enough size. I think he’s going to be a real good one.”
Miles Thompson – Onondaga Nation
The Skinny: The younger brother of Rush transition standout Jeremy Thompson bring a wealth of experience and reverence for the game. He absolutely starred at the University of Albany, ending his tenure as the school’s all-time leading point producer (293) and goal-scorer (189). He tied the NCAA record for goals in a season with 82 and was second in all-time single-season scoring with 119 points. The Onondaga, New York, product was a First Team All-American and led all of NCAA Div. I with a 4.56 goals-per-game average.
The Coach Says: “He’s a great goal-scorer. He’s a really good shooter in field and indoor. He got himself really fit in his senior season and of course he has a great pedigree.”
Brandon Benn
The Skinny: Consistency of performance is the name of the game for Benn, an Orangeville, Ontario, product who played at Johns Hopkins University. He entered his senior season on a 16-game goal-scoring streak and found the back of the net in 26 of 28 games. The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder is the first JHU player to score 30-plus goals in consecutive seasons in over 10 years. Benn finished last year with 34 goals, including a five-goal game against Navy.
The Coach Says: “He’s another of the really good Orangeville products and he had a good college career at Hopkins. He was a good indoor player who was kind of overshadowed by Noble and Rob Heller who’s now with the Rock. He’s a good scorer and a good athlete.”
Matt Grough
The Skinny: The Dowling College product played his indoor with the Peterborough Lakers and had a 32-point season last year. At Dowling, he appeared in 13 games and put up 34 goals.
The Coach Says: “A good shooter who can be an excellent shooter at times. He’s good athleticism who probably just needs a little more experience.”
Robert Hope
The Skinny: Look up … way up. The 6-foot-5 defender from Peterborough, Ontario, is a solid defender with a bit of a scoring touch. At Pfeiffer University, Hope put up 44 points last season before reverting back to his defensive roots once he moved back indoors.
The Coach Says: “A pure defender, stay-at-home type. Nothing flashy, just a really good shut down guy with a little bit of transition upside.”
Two goaltending prospects could also find their way to the Rush whether it’s at No. 7 or later. Alexis Buque was IL Indoor’s Junior Goalie of the Year and First Team All-Canadian in 2013, while Adam Schute is a past Founders Cup winner and 2011 Minto Cup All-Star.
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Two-day combine event kicks off draft weekend at TRAC in Oakville, Ontario
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