Just this past Wednesday, I brought up the fact that the Buffalo Bandits will have a struggle ahead of them in replacing Jon Harasym. Though the National Lacrosse League is full of players ranging from 19 to 45, the median age seems to be 26-27 years old. When looking at those retiring, the majority seem to be doing so in their mid-30s.
Steenhuis and Watt are both 28 years old. Though they have approximately 3-7 years of playing ahead of them (without injury, hopefully), the two are a bit older than an ideal transition player would be. A younger teammate could bring more energy and stamina to the field.
Enter Rory Smith: a defenseman acquired by the Bandits this past summer. Coming to Buffalo from the Colorado Mammoth, his defensive stats are the most comparable to Harasym’s I’ve yet seen. 327 penalty minutes, 237 loose balls (career) and 17 turnovers (last season alone). To top it all off, Smith is only 26 years old! He has two years of youth on Steenhuis and Watt.
The aspect of lacrosse that is becoming more iconic these days has to do with aggression on the field. In the MLL and other outdoor leagues, coaches and league officials have been debating just how much influence full body-blowing checks bring to the game and how often they are used. On the contrary, the NLL resembles the playing style and strategies of hockey, and big time hits are more a part of the game than is seen out on a field. In the NLL, defense is almost more important than anything else.
Standing at six feet tall and 200 pounds of sheer defensive intimidation to opponents, my opinion stands that Smith is the answer for Buffalo in replacing Jon Harasym. The three way trio between Watt, Smith, and Benesch could be the “Holy Grail” answer for the team. No one would truly have to change positions, and all three players fit into the Buffalo profiles while still bringing with them room for change and success.
