The Charlotte Hounds of Major League Lacrosse today announced a series of trades that will see the team acquire two first-round collegiate draft picks, a second-round draft pick and a third-round draft pick over the next two seasons.
The first major trade sends veteran attackman Matt Danowski to the Chesapeake Bayhawks in exchange for the third overall pick in the 2015 MLL Collegiate Draft and an additional second-round pick in the 2016 MLL Collegiate Draft. In addition, the Hounds flipped their second-round 2015 MLL Collegiate Draft pick (9th overall) to the Bayhawks in exchange for their first-round 2016 MLL Collegiate Draft pick.
Danowski joined the Hounds via trade with the New York Lizards in December 2011, prior to the Charlotte team’s inaugural season. In 37 regular-season games with the Hounds, Danowski tallied 76 goals, including 13 two-pointers, and 34 assists for a total of 123 points. He added three goals, two of which were two-pointers, during the Hounds’ Cinderella run to the MLL Championship in 2013.
“It’s been an honor to coach Matt,” said Hounds head coach Mike Cerino. “He led a young organization and team to the Championship Game in only its second year of existence. We are excited to continue to build the Hounds in a youthful manor, but the impact Matt has made on the city of Charlotte and state of North Carolina as an all-time great Duke player and coach will continue to be felt for years to come.”
Through the other major trade of the day, the Hounds receive the Boston Cannons’ third-round (19th overall) pick in the 2015 MLL Collegiate Draft in exchange for goalie Adam Ghitelman, who is a full-time assistant men’s lacrosse coach at Harvard University. The Hounds selected Ghitelman with the 30th overall pick in the 2012 MLL Expansion Draft. He played 2,002:46 regular-season minutes in Charlotte, earning a 15-21 record, 13.24 goals against average and 51.6 save percentage over three seasons. Ghitelman was at his best in the postseason though, recording a 12.0 GAA and 52.0 SV% during the 2013 MLL Championship Weekend.
“Losing two original Hounds and both our co-captains in the same day certainly shows we are turning a page for Hounds lacrosse,” said Cerino. “We are happy for Adam to be a member of the Cannons because it matches up nicely with his duties at Harvard and will alleviate some travel stress for him. We are optimistic about the duties of Pierce Bassett in goal moving forward.”
Hounds VP & GM Wade Leaphart added, “Danowski and Ghitelman helped establish our identity. The 2013 run was something special. Heading into our fourth season, we have a solid, young core. It’s a great group of players, available right from the start, that will grow together. Acquiring additional early round picks puts us in a sweet spot to draft the best of the best and continue building out the young core. I’m excited to get into training camp, mix in the Supplemental draftees and ‘Release the Hounds’ on April 12.”
