The Georgia Swarm were the big winners at the 2015 NLL draft held Monday night in Oakville. With four picks in the first round, the Swarm added a multitude of talent to a roster already deep with young, talented players.
The Swarm took Lyle Thompson first overall. Lyle will join his brother Miles and is happy to be reunited with former teammates Randy Staats (taken sixth) and Johnny Powless.
“I just got done playing for the Iroquois Nationals and me, Miles, and Randy were the right side and that’s going to be the right side for the Swarm,” Thompson said. “And on the left side, I played with Johnny in the Iroquois and I’ve known Shayne Jackson since I was in high school, I played against him when he played for Whitby, and he went to school with my oldest brother. Chemistry’s not going to be a problem with this team. It think we’ll be set offensively.”
The Swarm’s other first rounders were Jesse King (3rd) and Chad Tutton (5th).
The Rochester Knighthawks had two picks in the first round, and took Graeme Hossack with the #2 pick and Brad Gillies at #9. Hossack is a defenseman with the Brooklin Redmen while Gillies plays transition for the Oakville Rock.
The Calgary Roughnecks picked fourth and seventh, and chose Wes Berg and Reilly O’Connor, respectively. Berg was unable to attend the draft but O’Connor was there to accept his new hat and jersey, and said to the crowd that he was excited to join the Roughnecks offense and play with talented guys like Shawn Evans and Curtis Dickson.
Rounding out the top nine picks was Brooklin’s Dan Lintner, picked at number eight by the New England Black Wolves. Veteran player Andrew Suitor was on hand to welcome the Black Wolves new additions.
Of note:
- Only four teams had picks in the first round; Toronto, Buffalo, Saskatchewan, and Vancouver did not pick until the second round, while Colorado had to wait until the third round.
- Christian Del Bianco, picked 15th, was the youngest player in the draft at just 18, and the first goaltender to be picked. Doug Buchan was the only other goaltender picked.
- All four eligible members of the Peterborough Jr. A Lakers were selected, including Thomas Hoggarth, Riley Campbell, Bryce Sweeting, and Tyler Roche. Roche is a defenseman but he played forward for Ireland at the WILC, scoring 18 points including 11 goals.
- The tallest player in the draft was Bandits pick Mike Triolo of the Brooklin Redmen who stands 6’8”.
- Calgary pick Kellen Leclair is also a football player.
- Derek Searle, transition, was projected to go in the first round, but dropped to 14th. Searle entered the draft very late.
- Only one trade was made during the draft. Saskatchewan traded the last pick, #55, to Buffalo, for their sixth round pick in 2018. The Bandits used that pick on Matthew Clearwater, who was at the draft and very happy to hear his name.
- Approximately 20 players were present at the draft.
2nd-6th Round Picks by Team
Buffalo
Anthony Malcolm (11)
Mike Triolo (27)
Tim Edwards (36)
Matthew Clearwater (55)
Calgary
Mitch Desnoo (13)
Christian Del Bianco (15)
Tyson Bell (24)
Kellen Leclair (25)
Jacob Ruest (35)
Jordan Kanscal (44)
Carson Barton (51)
Colorado
Bryce Sweeting (32)
Dane Sorensen (45)
Jordan Gillies (52)
Georgia
Thomas Hoggarth (20)
Michael Seidel (29)
Nick Ossello (43)
Rick Lewis (50)
New England
Mike McDonald (22)
Phillip Caputo (28)
Brooker Muir (37)
Ryan MacSpadyen (41)
Jordi Jones-Smith (48)
Rochester
Derek Searle (14)
Adam Bomberry (16)
John St. John (26)
Greg Longboat (38)
Saskatchewan
Dan Taylor (12)
Doug Buchan (18)
Justin Goodwin (30)
Luke Gillespie (31)
Jimmy McBride (40)
Reagan Harding (47)
Toronto
Turner Evans (10)
Luc Magnan (17)
Kyle Aquin (34)
Jamie Batton (53)
Tyler Roche (54)
Vancouver
Jordan Durston (19)
Shayne Aams (21)
Connor Brown (23)
Riley Campbell (33)
Evan Messenger (39)
Ryan Wagner (42)
Keegan Latourneau (46)
Blake Curry (49)
