Edmonton Rush general manager and head coach Derek Keenan announced that the team has re-signed forward Mark Matthews to a five-year contract agreement. The first overall selection from the 2012 NLL Entry Draft led the team in scoring and captured many league accolades during his rookie season including the 2013 NLL Rookie of the Year award.
Matthews led the Rush and finished fifth in the league with 38 goals – the third-highest goal total for a rookie in NLL history. Matthews was a three-time winner of the NLL’s Rookie of the Month, took home Rookie of the Week honors for a nine-point game against Washington during last season, and was named NLL Offensive Player of the Week for netting 11 goals in a weekend set against the Stealth and Mammoth. Matthews led all NLL rookies with 69 points.
“Matthews is a foundation type player so signing him for five years is very important to the future of the Edmonton Rush,” Keenan said. “We are thrilled that Mark has made the long term commitment to the team and the City of Edmonton.
“He has taken his offseason training to a much higher level and this will certainly help in his development.”
The Rush’s 2014 Training Camp opens Thursday, Nov. 28 to Sunday, Dec. 1 in Edmonton, with the second training camp weekend in Toronto, ON, Thursday, Dec. 12 to Sunday, Dec. 15.
