This story originally appeared on NewYork.InLacrosseWeTrust.com
As the 2014 National Lacrosse League season gets closer, anticipation is rising to see if former Toronto Rock coach, Troy Cordingley, will work his magic with the Buffalo Bandits.
Cordingley will be the Bandits’ seventh head coach in franchise history, taking over after the release of Darris Kilgour. It is no surprise that the Bandits let Kilgour go after an unimpressive 2013 season that left the Bandits as the only team in the National Lacrosse League that did not make into the playoffs. Having a 6-10 record at the end of the season was an indicator that something had to change for the Bandits.
“Take my number out of the rafters. I don’t want anything to do with them” were Kilgour’s last words to the Bandits. Those are not the words anyone expected a “dedicated” coach of ten seasons would speak.
On the other hand, Toronto firing Cordingley at the end of a fairly successful season where the Rock held the highest record in the eastern division came to the surprise of many. Cordingley was Toronto’s head coach for four seasons in which the team played in the championship game two years in a row (2010 where they lost and 2011 where they won), the eastern division finals, and the eastern division semifinals.
The Bandits need a coach who knows about the team and the game of lacrosse and Cordingley brings all of that to the table. His NLL career started back in1993 with Buffalo where he played for the team for seven years and won two championships with them. He has made it into the top ten in the ranks for Buffalo in goals (96), assists (137) and points (233). Cordingley having that personal connection with the team will show in his coaching because who doesn’t want the best for a team that they once represented?
A new coach is a big change for a team but Buffalo is in dire need for a change if they expect to make it to the 2014 playoffs, especially if the playoff format is altered in the ways that are currently being discussed where fewer teams make it into the post-season.
Buffalo may have been the weakest link last season but a fresh start with a new coach is making the 2014 season a promising one.
