As the Toronto Rock head into to training camp here are three stories to watch:
3. Will the Rock be able to stay atop the east- The Rock were fairly quiet this off season as they did not make any major moves to bring in talent and instead decided to stick with the team they had last year. This could be a risky move for the Rock as the teams around them have gotten better such as Buffalo who acquired Ryan Benesch who notched 84 points last season with Minnesota. Benesch has proven he can be a top scorer in the NLL and will add a boost to Buffalo. The Knighthawks have also improved boosting their defense with Mac Allen who will be a force in recovering loose balls for the team. Only time will tell if the Rock made the right move to stick to the status quo.
2.Can Nick Rose repeat his 2013 season: Rose had an excellent 2013 season as he posted 10 wins, a 10.61 G.A.A and a .791 save percentage. Rose will need to repeat these numbers in 2013 if the Rock hope to stay atop the east. If Rose can improve upon his save percentage along with his G.A.A average he would be a lock for 2014 goalie of the year. Expect Rose to be competing with Matt Vinc for the title of the NLL’S best goalie all year long.
1. Does Doyle still have gas left: The Rock made a statement announcing Colin Doyle as their franchise player instead of leading scorer Garrett Billings. The 36 year old signed a new three year contract which means he will continue to be the core of the Rock offense for another three years. Doyle posted 26 goals and 58 assists last year for 84 points which was an improvement upon both his 2012 and 2011 seasons. If Doyle can put up similar numbers this year this will prove to be a great signing by the Rock but if Doyle begins to show his age and starts to decline offensively the Rock could be in trouble. Doyle need to prove age is just a number to prove that naming him the franchise player was a smart move over the younger Billings who led the Rock in points last season.
