The Vancouver Stealth finished the 2014 NLL season tied for the worst record in the league, a disappointing 4-14. They were second-worst in goals for (181) and second-worst in goals against (223).
Quite the fall for a team that came a goal shy of winning the Champion’s Cup just a year earlier.
Over the summer the Stealth suffered another blow when head coach Chris Hall stepped down due to health issues. Hall guided the Stealth to the Champion’s Cup three times in five years, so the strength of his presence really can’t be understated. Dan Perreault takes over the reins and will be challenged to turn the team’s fortunes around.
A number of offseason transactions have shuffled the squad. Gone are Brett Bucktooth, Jamie Lincoln, Jeff Moleski and Mike Grimes. New to Vancouver are Tyler Haas, Dane Stevens and Kyle Belton while Tim Henderson has returned to the Stealth after a tour of duty in the US Army.
While that shifts the dynamic on the roster, there’s still plenty of room to add pieces by way of the draft. Vancouver picks second in each round, which gives them a shot at some blue chip talent. They are going to get a Miles Thompson or a Jeremy Noble or a Ben McIntosh.
Although the consensus is that this year’s draft is on the thin side, the Stealth are positioned to make the most of it.
