It is a tough job to make let alone crack a NLL roster year in and year out with a new draft every year and players going in and out of lineups due to injury’s or job issues. So making it to the second year in your pro career is an accomplishment in itself and this year’s sophomore class has many big name players in it. The two teams with the most second years players on their rosters would be the Minnesota Swarm and Edmonton Rush each with four. Here are the players who have looked the best in their second NLL campaign.
1. Tyler Digby- This Former Robert Morris University lacrosse and football player has really impressed his first two years in the league. Once drafted to the CFL, Digby, a third round pick by the Stealth, gave football up to pursue pro lacrosse. Last year Digby put up 58 points and got 49 loose balls. This year he is second on the Stealth with thirty points in three games which is more than any other second year player. Tyler is 6’3″ and 230lbs with great hands and is a top righty for the Stealth and fast becoming tops in the NLL.
2.Dillon Ward- Colorado took Dillon Ward with the third pick in last year’s draft. He ended up starting for the playoff team as a rookie. Winning gold with team Canada’s field team this summer at the World games put Ward on one of the biggest stages and he ended with not just gold but being named All World Team. Ward has played every minute so far in these first two games making seventy-seven saves and letting up twenty-nine goals.
3. Robert Church – The Rush may be 0-2 but Church has impressed with his play so far this year. After scoring fifty-two points as a rookie Church is second on the Rush in points for this season only behind Mark Mathews. Church has nine points and scooped up twelve loose balls in two games played. He will look to continue his great play as the Rush look to get back on track to their winning ways.
4. Logan Schuss -Schuss was the Rookie of the Year in 2014 and after it looked like he may not play this season due to work commitments he joined the team for their second game of the year. In his first game back Logan dished out three assists in the Swarm victory.
5. Ethan O’Connor- The third Swarm player to make the list spent his rookie year with the Toronto Rock where he had a hundred and thirty-three loose balls while winning forty eight face-offs. Ethan also added nine points and caused fifteen turnovers in seventy games played for the Rock. This former Hobart Statesman has seven loose balls, two points and three caused turnovers in both games played so far. Ethan has not yet faced-off this season but looks to be a great pick up for Minnesota.
6. Karsen Leung- Leung is back with Calgary for his second season after coming second in the NLL title game last season. In his first year Leung put up 29 points and 93 LB’s in eighteen games played. Just two games in this year he already has five. After getting a lone assist in the Roughnecks first game Leung came back in the second one and had a four point night. Leung is a great asset in the transition game for the Roughnecks.
7. Nick Weiss- In this past draft the Bandits traded Rory Smith and Eric Penney for the rights to Nick and the number nine pick which was used on Brandon Goodwin. After playing in fifteen games as a rookie in Vancouver Nick now moves back east to continue his pro career. In three games Nick has not scored but has picked up twelve loose balls he has been playing tough defense for the Bandits as well.
8. Mitch Wilde – Mitch is in his second year in Buffalo and in just three games he has two points and nine loose balls. Right now Mitch is a top transition player for the Bandits and he has been all over the floor.
9. Brian Megill- The first American to hit this list is one of the main defensive players for the New England Black Wolves. Coming out of Syracuse University Brian played six games for the Philadelphia Wings before he moved with the franchise to New England. In two games played Brian collected eight loose balls after having fourteen all of last year. He also has two assists and one caused turnover.
Rookie to Watch for Next Year:
Jeremy Noble- Noble was a regular in the Swarm lineup as a rookie picking up 71 loose balls and one assist. This season he has played in both games and collected 5 loose balls. Noble is one of the top defenders in the league in just a very short period of time.
