After a disappointing first season as the Buffalo Bandits general manager, Steve Dietrich has been making some notable offseason moves to bring success back to Bandit Land. Dietrich and new head coach Troy Cordingley will have some new faces vying for their chance to dawn the black and orange for the 2014 season.
Leading the new crop of Bandits are offseason acquisitions Ryan Benesch and Rory Smith. Benesch has spent the last four seasons of his seven year career with the Minnesota Swarm amassing 334 points. The former first overall selection in the 2006 NLL Entry Draft comes over from the Swarm along with Andrew Watt in exchange for first round picks in 2015 and 2016 as well a third round pick in 2017.
Smith was acquired in a late July trade with the Mammoth that saw Carter Bender being sent to Colorado. The 2012 NLL All-Star finished third on the Mammoth in in forced turnovers last season with 17 while racking up 51 minutes in penalties, second to only Chet Koneczny (54).
Benesch was recently in action with Team Canada during their exhibition match with the Iroquois Nationals, registering one goal and three assists in Canada’s 12-11 win. Smith helped to anchor the Team Canada defense during the victory.
With rookie sensation Dhane Smith representing the future face of the franchise, many Bandits prospects will be looking to make an impact for the Bandits. This includes second year players Jordan Critch and Hayden Smith. Critch, who sat out a considerable chunk of his rookie season due to injury, notched five points in five appearances while earning Rookie Player of the Week honors once. The Orangeville product recently followed up a Baggataway Cup win with the Guelph Gryphons by signing a one-year deal. Smith cracked the roster four times during his first season, notching seven loose balls and one forced turnover.
Joel Matthews, a 2012 fourth round draft pick who spent last season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, was recently one of eight players to ink one-year deals. Prospects from the 2013 draft, Nick Diachenko (14th overall) and Mitch Wilde (15th overall), are also currently under contract heading into training camp.
With Luke Wiles now a member of the Philadelphia Wings, draft day acquisition Joe Resetarits will look to step in offensively on the right side. The Hamburg, N.Y. native notched eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points in his rookie campaign with the Calgary Roughnecks.
The Bandits are set to begin training camp on Saturday, November 23, followed by a pair of exhibition games versus the Philadelphia Wings Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8 at First Niagara Center.
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