A few months removed from their MLL final game, and big news has already fluttered around Upstate New York. Four days ago, the Rochester Rattlers released their 12 man protected roster lists, and some surprising names are not covered. This comes along with but a huge trade with the team the Rattlers faced in the final game, the 2015 MLL Champion New York Lizards. MLL veteran Ned Crotty has returned to the Flower City, as Rochester sent midfield stand-out Dave Lawson and a fifth Round pick in the 2016 Collegiate Lacrosse Draft to NY. The leading scorer for the Rattlers in 2011 and 2013, the 2010 NCAA Champion Duke Blue Devil and Tewaaraton award winner was an integral part of NY’s run towards the title this year.
The Protected List: Ned Crotty, John Galloway, Will Koshansky, John Lade, John LoCascio, Jordan MacIntosh, Mike Manley, Donny Moss, Jack Near, Kevin Rice, Joel White, Jordan Wolf
The Unprotected: Kyle Denhoff, Jesse King, Michael Lazore, Mark Matthews, Mike Poppleton, John Ranagan, Sam Somers, Randy Staats, Jordan Stevens, Ty Thompson, Justin Turri
The entire first-line midfield is now gone, with Lawson off to the Lizards, and Ranagan and Turri on the unprotected list and unsure over whether they will return or not. Whether it is lack of confirmation with NLL commitments, or problems at work, it seems to be that Rochester has shifted dramatically towards their attack now instead of their offensive midfield with Rice with Wolf returning. In fact, it seems that the entire NLL-roster save Jordan MacIntosh is on the unprotected list for the Rattlers. Instead of the heavy-Canadian box presence, it is clear that Coach Soudan has decided that he would rather play with a full deck in the beginning part of the season than the slow build of 2014-‘15. The big surprises of Ty Thompson, Mark Matthews, and Randy Staats are evident of this, with Jesse King, who didn’t suit up in 2015, being easier to understand. However, even bigger are the release of Turri and Ranagan. Defense was not to be compromised, as all but goalie Sam Somers, who saw very limited time, were protected. The challenge Mike Manley left might have helped influence the attack and defense heavy protected list.
Ned Crotty, who played midfield for NY in both 2014 and 2015, can be the third initiator that Rochester was looking for, particularly in the pre-NLL stages of the season. All three can be significant dodging attackmen, and slower defenses will be unable to contain all three of them. However, Crotty is usually the primary ball carrier, and the chemistry he developed to work off-ball with New York at midfield won’t magically transfer over from NY to Rochester’s attack line, especially with not only Rice but Wolf at attack as the primary ball carriers. Assuming he stays at the midfield and a new attackmen takes the third spot with a returning Mark Matthews for the second half of the season, Crotty can be a fantastic passing midfielder from up-top.
Unlike Lawson and Turri, however, he won’t present the now attack-focused Rattlers offense the inside-outside heavy-pick game that the initiators at the midfield gave to the Rattlers, as Crotty’s initiating abilities work the best from behind the cage. This might be the work of an upcoming talent to decide. Regardless, Rochester’s makeover at the midfield might be what was needed. Insanity is often described as doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. Midfield transition and initiation was the calling card in 2014 and a bit in 2015, and both times, the Rattlers failed at their quest. It seems to be clear that Coach Soudan will not risk a third time.
