In recent NLL news, the Rochester Knighthawks have announced that they have re-signed forward Joel Matthews for another year. First signed in 2014 and back again with the white and teal, the St. Catharines, Ontario native looks to add to his fantastic but limited 2015 season in his third season of NLL play and just his second with the Knighthawks.
During that 2015 campaign, Matthews had a career high 13 points, good for Knighthawks Rookie of the Year honors. At home, Matthews scored one goal and one assist in an 8-6 victory over the Toronto Rock in his debut with the team in January. He would tie his career high with two assists and three points in a 12-11 win over the Calgary Roughnecks a month later. Last season the team was 6-0 when he was in the lineup.
Matthews is a part of an already deep Rochester offense. On the depth chart, he is listed below fellow lefty forwards Cody Jamieson, Joe Walters, and Cody Vitarelli.
“Joel is a big body who can move players and create space for himself and others,” said Knighthawks forward Cody Jamieson in the team’s press release. “He has a nice scoring touch and a little mean streak. He is a power forward who can do everything well. He is also a great guy in the locker room and off the floor.”
Matthews played his college lacrosse at Detroit Mercy, where he finished his career third in school history in goals (61), fourth in points (87) and sixth in assists (26). In the MSL, he also appeared in five games with the St. Catharines Saints Senior “B” team, and played Junior “B” and Junior “A” for St. Catharines from 2007 to 2012.
