When the clock strikes 10 tomorrow morning, A.J.Mason, Tucker Durkin, James Delaney, Don Alton, and Rob Pannell will join Kyle Buchanan, Patrick Crosby, Eric Holt and others as rookies and free agents report for a three hour camp.
This is step number one for most of these players as they try to make it on to a National Lacrosse League roster. The players that are fortunate enough to make it to the 40 man camp roster will really need to step it up as next weekend (Nov 22-24) the Wings will have four practice sessions. Two weeks later (Dec 7-8) the Wings travel to Buffalo for two pre-season games.
What’s going to make this years camp tough is the new CBA. Last season the active roster was 23 and 3 practice squad. Now under the new agreement its 20 and 4, which means each team will lose two players. These players could find themselves on other teams roster, so every team will have players looking over there shoulders and players must turn in a nearly perfect camp to lock in there spot on the roster.
One position that seems secured is the goalie position for the Wings. Brandon Miller, Chris Collins and recently acquired Evan Kirk will be at camp next weekend. Will Don Alton, and/or Patrick Crosby be joining the three after this weekend? Percentages would say Miller and Kirk are locks, and the battle for the third goalie is up for grabs. But as we know anything can happen, injury, or just being outplayed can change all that.
On the offense and defense/transition, you will have Eric Holt who just missed the cut last year trying again. Last year Holt turned a few heads at camp, so no doubt he will be hungrier then ever. So any defensive players on last years roster that may have been questioning there play, they will need to really be on there toes.
On offense the wings have invited Kyle Buchanan. Buchanan was a rookie last season and played in nine regular season games and one playoff game. In his first NLL season, Buchanan had 22 points, 18 of them assists as the Stealth made it to the NLL Championship game. Buchanan may have a slight edge as he is a right handed shot, a side of the offense the Wings are trying to strengthen.
What will this camp show? Who will stand out? Will Cornell standout Rob Pannell, taken 50th overall show he has what it takes?
All this and more to be answered tomorrow as the Philadelphia Wings open rookie and free agent camp tomorrow from 10-1. I will have a full report tomorrow night on what I saw and my thoughts of who will come back next weekend
