We all know who the biggest stars in the league are. And they almost always deliver to expectations.
But every year there are several players that fly under the radar and given the right opportunity, explode and have breakout seasons, cementing their spots in the league.
Last year players like Matt Gibson, Jeremy Sieverts and Ari Sussman exceeded expectations and made a big impact in the league, helping their teams reach the playoffs.
Who are prime candidates to have breakout years in 2013?
Roman and Cameron Lao-Gosney, M, Hamilton Nationals
The Nationals suffered in the beginning of the season due to a lack of depth with the majority of the team’s star players finishing out the NLL season.
Roman, a 2012 Nationals draft pick, and Cameron, acquired in a mid-season trade with Charlotte, should help keep the team afloat in the early going.
Between the two of them last season they only scored one goal (scored by Roman) but both played integral roles at Lehigh and are quite athletic. Given extended opportunities to play at least in the beginning of the season, these two should provide a boost to the Nationals.
Eric Lusby, A, Charlotte Hounds
The 2012 NCAA men’s lacrosse championship most outstanding player was claimed by the Hounds during the season. He played in only two games all season but he did a pretty good job in those games, scoring four goals total. He also had a 44.4 percent shooting percentage.
With Charlotte trading away Jeremy Boltus and Billy Bitter this off-season, Lusby should find himself on the field much more in 2013 and if last year, both with Loyola and with the Hounds, is any indication of what to expect from him, it should be an exciting season for the Hounds offense.
John Ortolani, FO, Rochester Rattlers
The Rattlers fell a game short of making the playoffs. What held them back? One big thing was that they were in the penultimate spot in face-off winning percentage at 44.4 percent.
Part of that lack of success was because a constant revolving door of participants resulting in a lack of consistency at the X.
Enter John Ortolani.
The four-year man finished second in the nation in face-off winning percentage (68.7 percent) in his senior year at Endicott College. Last season he went 22 for 36 (61.1 percent) and is a career 53.3 percent at the X.
He’s spent all four years of his career on the Cannons, watching, going up against and learning from Chris Eck, one of the best in league history to play the position.
He still has to win the spot, but Ortolani is in a good position to leap to the next level of face-off greatness in the league.
Drew Snider, M, Denver Outlaws
The Outlaws had a lot of extremely talented rookies last season. Lost in the shadows behind the talented Mark Matthews, Chris Bocklet and Colin Briggs was Drew Snider.
The Maryland-graduate did a pretty good job though helping to get points on the board. In 10 games in his first year in the league Snider scored 10 goals (one two-pointer) and added an assist. He scored in all but two games in the regular season, including a hat trick July 19 in a 16-13 win against the Boston Cannons. Snider finished ninth on the team in both points and goals.
The Outlaws will need to see even more from Snider this season though. The team traded away three midfielders so far in the regular season, including All-Star Peet Poillon. The midfield depth is a bit thin after the trades and it will be a good opportunity for Snider to step in and contribute immediately.
