The Calgary Roughnecks signed free agent goaltender Ryan McBride to a one-year contract last week, adding more depth between the pipes to a squad that is gearing up for training camp.
McBride is a local product. Raised in Calgary, he played Senior B during the 2014 season in the RMLL for the Rockyview Knights, a team that plays just north of Calgary, in Airdrie, AB. McBride dressed for 11 games last season as the Knights went 8-6-2, good for a second place tie with the Calgary Sr. Mountaineers in the league.
The Knights displayed some strong defense and goaltending over the course of the season, giving up the second-fewest goals in the league (122). Unfortunately, they were bested three games to one in the first round of the playoffs by the Sr. Mountaineers.
The 22-year-old netminder will be in tough trying to crack a roster that already features Mike Poulin, the only goalie other than Matt Vinc to win the NLL’s Goaltender of the Year award in the last five years, Frankie Scigliano, who led all WLA goalies in goals against average (6.65) and save percentage (.838) while playing with the Maple Ridge Burrards, and Pete Dubenski, who has been a regular in the BCJALL since 2012 and still has a few years to mature and improve.
Still the Roughnecks placed a strong emphasis on bringing in local talent this year, selecting three Calgary products in this year’s NLL draft. The Roughnecks have always had local flavor on the team, whether it was Kaleb Toth early in the franchise’s history or Geoff Snider the last few years. So any Calgarian the team brings in will be given a fair shot to make the team.
