HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! And welcome to the 2017 ILWT Power Rankings.
The 2017 is off and running. In the pre-season we have seen the Toronto Rock go undefeated and also a classic Rush/Roughneck game that had a goalie fight. Opening week was a short one with only two games on the slate, the remaining teams will play this coming weekend. So let the talks begin….Will the Rush three-peat?
1. Saskatchewan Rush (0-0). Last season the Rush repeated as NLL Champions. Major change this season was the trade of Adam Jones from Colorado for Zack Greer. Both players had similar stats. Greer 42G/28A in 16 games. While Jones registered 42G/26A in 14 games. Rush will be without Aaron Bold for the first game as he was suspended for the fight in the preseason. Rush will travel to face the Georgia Swarm 7:05 Saturday.
2. Colorado Mammoth (1-0) Mammoth opened up their 2017 campaign with a huge road win over the Buffalo Bandits 12-8. New addition Zack Greer (3G/2A) paired well with Callum Crawford (2G/4A). Dillon Ward stopped 47-55 shots as the Mammoth look to get back on top in the western conference. The Mammoth have had problems in years past of getting past round one in the playoffs. The hope is the addition of Greer will brin the Mammoth to the top of the mountain again. Colorado will host Vancouver 9pm Saturday.
3. Toronto Rock (1-0). Came up HUGE with a 12-5 demolition of the Rochester Knighthawks. Rock were without Stephan LeBlanc (lower body injury), Rob Hellyer (season ending knee surgery) and with the retirements of Colin Doyle and Josh Sanderson, you would think this team would struggle. But they were led by Brett Hickey (3G/2A), Kasey Biernes (3G) and 5 goals on transition. Nick Rose stopped 43-48 shots for the win. Captain Brodie Merrill registered (1G/2A) to give him 400 points in his NLL career. Congratulations Brodie. Rock are off this week, and will host Saskatchewan Rush 7pm Saturday January 14.
4. New England Blackwolves (0-0) After finishing last season being swept out of the Eastern Finals, the Blackwolves showed they are a team to fear. With offense power coming from Shawn Evans, Kevin Crowley, Pat Saunders, and Kevin & Kyle Buchanan it makes it hard for defenses to double team any of them. The Furious Five accounted for 180 of the teams goals last season. Add the Goaltender of the Year for 2016, Evan Kirk and a young defense led by veteran Brett Manney and you have a strong contender for the Champions Cup. New England travels to face Rochester 7:30pm Saturday.
5. Buffalo Bandits (0-1). Fell to Colorado 12-8 to start their 2017 campaign. Alex Kedoh-Hill and Ryan Benesch each recorded hat tricks, while 2016 MVP Dhane Smith was held to only 3 assists. Anthony Cosmo was pulled just six and a half minutes into the second half after allowing his ninth goal on thirty-three shots. Last season Buffalo was swept in the Champions Cup Final (11-9/11-10), but the score could have been in their favor as well. Bandits should also be included in the early talk as a contender to return to the Cup final again. Buffalo returns to action as they host Georgia, Saturday January 14 at 7:30.
6. Georgia Swarm (0-0). It seems the Swarm may have solved their goalie problem by signing free agent goalie Mike Poulin to a 3 yr deal.. The last few years Poulin was more of a back up in Calgary. With Poulin between the pipes the Swarm defense should be better then in years past. On offense, Rookie of the Year Randy Staats is coming of a 95 point season (36 goals), Shayne Jackson (40G/43A) coming off his best year yet in the NLL. Jesse King, Johnny Powless, Kiel Matisz along with Miles & Lyle Thompson add a potent punch on offense. Don’t take the Swarm lightly, if you do, you will get stung. Swarm open up 2017 as they host the Saskatchewan Rush Saturday 7:05.
7. Calgary Roughnecks (0-0). Once again they get by Colorado but Saskatchewan was the bump in the road for 2016. Calgary’s offense was led by Curtis “Superman” Dickson (61G/46A). Jeff Shattler (30G), Dane Dobbie (26), Tyler Digby(32) and rookie Wes Berg (27) accounted for 176 of the teams 216 goals. If Calgary wants to get out of the third place slot, the defense along with goalie Frank Scigliano will need to come up big. Calgary will open the 2017 season when they host Vancouver Friday 9pm.
8. Vancouver Stealth (0-0). Could this be the year the Stealth make a playoff appearance? During the off-season the Stealth made two big moves on defense. They sign goalie Tye Belanger and sign John Lintz, Lintz played for the Rush and has three championship rings to his credit, Calgary (2009) Edmonton/Saskatchewan (2015-2016). The offense is led by Rhys Duch (48G/63A), Corey Small (37), Joel McCreday & Logan Schuss with (29) goals each account for 143 of the 198 they scored last season. A big piece missing on offense is Garrett Billings who is on the IR to start the season. Stealth have always started slow which has been the down fall, the can ill afford that this season as they start with two division games both on the road. Friday night at Calgary 9pm, then off to Colorado for a Saturday 9pm start time.
9. Rochester Knighthawks (0-1) Knighthawks were embarrassed 12-5 by Toronto in their opener Thursday night. Completely outplayed, as Toronto scored five times alone on transition. Knighthawks were without Cody Jamieson (knee surgery), Stephen Keogh (flu), Cory Vitarelli, and Joe Walters who will not play this season as he will devote the time to his MLL team (Lizards). Then with the departure of Brad Self (Buffalo), Scott Self (New England) and Craig Point (Buffalo) the team has some holes that need to be filled quickly. They have til Saturday to get the transition game fixed and find some offense. Knighthawks host New England Saturday 7:30.
