With the 2014 NLL draft becoming a distant memory, it’s important we don’t overlook players that went undrafted, as there are simply tons of talented players with elite level skill who were passed over in the draft. Every year we see a handful of kids who should have been selected in the draft, that some how slipped by every team, only to “come out of nowhere” and post respectable numbers at the NLL level. We’ve already seen Burnaby Lakers scoring stud Casey Jackson slip through the draft only to be signed by the Calgary Roughnecks. Another player that slipped through the draft that should ultimately get signed or at the very least an invite to a pro training camp, is Six Nations Rebels transition star Kyle Isaacs.
Isaacs began his Junior career with the Six Nations Rebels in 2009, where he went on to score 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points in 19 regular season games. Isaacs then tallied another three goals and seven assists for 10 points in 13 playoff games. The Rebels bailed out of the 2009 OLA Jr. B Playoffs after losing their best of five Western Conference Finals series to the second place Elora Mohawks three games to two. In 2010 Isaacs took his talents up a level, and suited up with the Junior A powerhouse Six Nations Arrows. Isaacs finished sixth in team scoring with 15 goals and 25 assists for 40 points, adding another three goals and seven assists for 10 points in 13 playoff appearances. The Six Nations Arrows would lose to the Orangeville Northmen in a four game sweep in the OLA Jr. A Finals. Isaacs would again return to the Six Nations arrows in 2011, he appeared in 19 games, scoring 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points.
The decline in point totals was likely attributed to Isaacs taking on more of a defensive/transition role with the Arrows in 2011 as the Arrows offensive core was one of the deepest in the Junior A loop. The Arrows got knocked off by eventual Minto Cup Champions, the Whitby Warriors four games to two in their OLA Jr. A best of seven second round series. The winter of 2012 saw Isaacs get his first taste of pro lacrosse, suiting up for the Oshweken Demons of the Canadian Lacrosse League (CLAX). Isaacs finished fourth on the Demons in scoring behind only league scoring champion Chris Attwood and NLL veterans Cory Bomberry and Marty Hill. Isaacs finished the 14 game regular season with 13 goals and 21 assists for 34 points. The Oshweken Demons went on to win the inaugural Creators Cup Championship with a 15-10 win over the Iroquois Ironmen, Isaacs racking up one goal and four assists for five points in two playoff games the process. The summer of 2012 saw Isaacs once again return to the Six Nations Arrows, with the graduation of some potent offensive threats, Isaacs saw more time in the offensive zone, and his point totals benefited from it, racking up 15 goals and 32 assists for 47 points in 18 regular season games, good for fourth on the team. With a few additions from the St. Catharines Athletics being added at the trade deadline, Isaacs went back to more of a transitional role for the 2012 OLA Playoffs, he was still able to contribute six goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 10 games.
Although it seemed as if the additions threw off the team’s chemistry as the regular season champion Arrows bailed out to the eventual Minto Cup Champions the Orangeville Northmen four games to one in their best of seven OLA Jr. A Finals series. The winter of 2013 saw Isaacs return to the defending Creators Cup Champion Oshweken Demons, where he again showed he had what it takes to compete at the pro level, tallying 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points in 12 regular season games. The playoffs saw Isaacs record one goal in the Demons lone playoff game as they lost 15-13 to the Iroquois Ironmen in one of the league’s two quarter finals. After starting the summer of 2013 with the Jr. A Six Nations Arrows, Isaacs returned to the Six Nations Rebels Jr. B team despite having recorded a respectable six goals and two assists for eight points in 10 games with the Arrows. In his nine regular season appearances with the Rebels Isaacs recorded six goals and 22 assists for 28 points. The 2013 Playoff run is where Isaacs really shinned for the Rebels racking up 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points in 12 games.
The Six Nations Rebels went 20-0 throughout the 2013 Regular season, and lost just once throughout their playoff run and the Founders Cup tournament on route to becoming the 2013 Founders Cup Champions. This past winter Isaacs again returned to Oshweken of the Canadian Lacrosse League, appearing in four games scoring three goals and three assists. The league played just an eight game schedule in 2014, with Oshweken losing 10-9 in overtime of the League final. Isaacs appeared in one of the two Demons playoff games, recording one goal and one assist for two points. This past summer Isaacs concluded his Junior Career by winning his 2nd straight founders cup with the Six Nations Rebels. His regular season saw him post 24 goals and 48 assists for 72 points in 19 games, good for fourth on the team. In the playoffs Isaacs added another 19 points in seven games on seven goals and 12 assists. Issacs also appeared in four regular season games with the St. Catharines Athletics Jr. A club, scoring four goals and three assists. He was once again asked to suit up for the Athletics come playoff time, appearing in three games, scoring one goal and four assists for five points.
Isaacs would be a great addition to any NLL teams roster, he’s defensively responsible as a transition player, has elite level offensive instincts and can play in nearly any situation. He brings a winning pedigree to the table as well as a high compete level, two things any coach or manager would love to see in a potential player. It was shocking to see him slip through the six rounds/55 selections of the 2014 NLL draft as his skill set is definitely that of a pro lacrosse player. In my opinion its only a matter of time until we see Isaacs ink a deal with an NLL club.
