The Washington Stealth have signed NLL veterans Kyle Sorensen and Rhys Duch each to one-year agreements pending league approval.
Sorensen (Peterborough, Ont.) is a six-year NLL veteran that was recently named Stealth team captain for 2013, while Duch (Victoria, B.C.), the team’s assistant captain, is a two-time NLL All-Pro that has come to be known in his five years of play as one of the league’s most prolific scoring threats.
“Kyle and Rhys are two of the best players in the game and having them both back with the Stealth is a very big step for our organization heading into the coming season,” said Doug Locker, Washington Stealth general manager. “In addition to what each of them brings on the floor, we are very excited to have them in leadership positions and believe it will have a very positive impact in our dressing room.”
Widely regarded as one of the league’s top defenders, the 26-year-old Sorensen has appeared in 75 regular season games and 11 playoff games for the Stealth. The 6-2, 220-pound right hander has accumulated 54 career points (23g, 31a) and 390 loose balls in his career, including six points (3g, 3a) and 41 loose balls in 13 games in 2012. Sorenson, a native of Peterborough, Ont. was the second overall pick in the 2006 NLL Entry Draft.
Duch, also 26, has appeared in all but two games for the Stealth since being drafted by the team with the third overall pick of the 2009 NLL Entry Draft. Duch has accumulated 344 points (143g, 201a) in just 62 career games. He still holds the NLL rookie scoring record after posting 89 points in 2009 en route to the Rookie of the Year Award. In 2012, the Victoria, British Columbia native tallied 79 points (33g, 46a) and 84 loose balls in 14 games played.
The two will be on the floor at this weekend’s training camp Saturday, Dec. 1 in Arlington, Wash. (Soccer First Indoor Sports) and Sunday, Dec. 2 in Everett, Wash. (Comcast Arena).
The selection process to determine final spots on the 2013 Stealth roster continues Dec. 8 and 9 in Langley, B.C. (Langley Events Centre), and Dec. 15 and 16 in Everett, Wash. (Comcast Arena). The final training camp weekend takes place on December 29 and 30 also in Everett, Wash. (Comcast Arena).
Final cuts to determine the active 23-man roster and three practice-roster spots take place on December 20.
