It’s the NLL’s version of Hot Stove season (to use a baseball term), and that means general managers are as active as ever. Leading up to the draft in September, we will be discussing the off season with as many general managers as possible. Next is Toronto Rock general manager Jamie Dawick.
Question: Brett Hickey is back for three years. How big is his role with the team?
Brett means a lot to the team, right now and for the future. It was important to get him re-signed before the RFA period opened for two reasons. Firstly, because he’s a huge part of our team going forward. Secondly, because of Brett’s contract last year, he would’ve been eligible for restricted free agency and I was concerned he could draw interest from other teams. Brett wanted to be in Toronto as much as we wanted him here so it made it easy to get a deal done.
Question: What prompted the return of Bill Hostrawser and Jesse Gamble?
Two reasonably young defenders that have been with us for a few years. Just wanted to show my commitment to them moving forward. They’ve been an important part of this team in the past and they are big part of the future, real happy to get both of them signed to three-year deals. I expect both of them to be key pieces on our back end for years to come.
Question: What does Matt Sawyer bring as an assistant general manager?
Matt really brings a lot to the table. His role with the club doesn’t change too much, other than adding the assistant GM title. He’s been helping T and myself for years now. He’s a very smart guy that knows the game and has a good eye for talent. He will be a huge asset for me and the team moving forward.
Question: What are the statuses of Josh Sanderson and Kevin Crowley?
Both are very different situations. There’s no issues with Josh. He’s just taking his time to consider his future, as older players do. I’m hopeful and optimistic we will see him back next year. As far as Kevin goes, we’ve spoken and have a good relationship. Don’t believe contract is an issue there either. Problem is, Kev currently lives in Philadelphia, so we’re working on a way to get him up here to live in TO for the season.
Question: Does the strong draft affect or delay how teams approach free agency?
It doesn’t really change my approach. I look to improve the team whenever I can. Free agency is the first order of business and this year there doesn’t seem to be a lot available. That’s why I think teams are sitting back and waiting for the draft. As far as my team goes, I don’t feel like there’s any holes that could be addressed through free agency. But we’re out there, monitoring situations and if we feel we can make our team better, we will.
Question: Last year the team saw a lot of injuries with Doyle, Hellyer, and a few others. How important is it to have depth players available for those situations?
It’s very Important to have depth. That helped us out last year, we felt we had four lefts and four rights that could play. Our rosters aren’t huge so staying injury free is a huge factor. Hopefully we took our hit last year and this year will have much better luck.
Question: Several teams have released top players due to the salary cap. Does that change the approach to the off season?
It hasn’t just changed my approach to free agency, it’s changed the approach to everything. With the new CBA the financial aspect of this league changed a bit. If you’re playing in this league because of money, you’re in the wrong league. It’s not about that. I’ve had to renegotiate with many of my veterans over the last couple years. Lots of pay cuts. Not because I want to do it, but because I have too. On the Toronto Rock, I have the responsibility to be fair and equal to everyone. Whether they’re a RFA of ours or a free agent. Obviously circumstances arise, but at the end of the day, I want to be able to look at everyone in my room and feel comfortable that everyone is being treated fairly.
