The Minnesota Swarm announced the signings of four draft picks from the 2014 National Lacrosse League entry draft. Minnesota agreed to two-year contracts with F Shane MacDonald (No. 5 overall), F Joe Maracle (No. 10 overall), D Eric Guiltinan (No. 29 overall) and D Pat Miles (No. 38 overall).
“This year’s draft focused on our need to replace some injured players as well as some players lost during free agency,” Swarm owner and governor John Arlotta told MNSwarm.com, the team’s website. “We are really pleased that we were able to achieve this with our picks and now we are looking forward to seeing them compete for playing time in the NLL.”
MacDonald, 21, notched 55 points (27g, 28a) during 17 contests with the Brampton Excelsiors (Jr. A) in 2014. The Elora, Ontario, native tallied a career-high 98 points (37g, 61a) during the ‘12 season with the Excelsiors. In his five-year Jr. A career from 2010-14, MacDonald recorded 199 points (78g, 121a) with Brampton and Orangeville. Minnesota selected the 6-foot, 205-pound lefty forward with the No. 5 overall selection in the first-round.
Maracle, 20, won a Minto Cup this past summer with the Six Nations Arrows (Jr. A) and totaled 39 points (22g, 17a) in 13 postseason contests. In the regular season, the 5-foot-11, 195-pound lefty forward scored 49 points (14g, 35a) in 18 games. Over his four-year Jr. career from 2011-14, Maracle totaled 197 points (86g, 111a), and notched a career-high 35 goals in ’12 with the Rebels (Jr. B). The Six Nations, Ontario, native was the first selection (No. 10 overall) in the second-round.
Guiltinan, 21, appeared in 20 games for the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves (Jr. A) in 2014 and notched 12 points (5g, 7a) as a transition specialist. The London, Ontario native also played in 14 contests with the Braves in ‘13 and recorded three points (2g, 1a). The Swarm drafted the 5-foot-10, 200-pound lefty defenseman in the fourth-round (No. 29 overall).
Miles, 21, was a captain for New England College in 2014 and posted 23 points (11g, 12a) along with a school record 74 caused turnovers during his senior season. This past summer, the 6-foot, 175-pound righty defenseman notched seven points (2g, 5a) in 14 contests with the MSL’s Oakville Rock. Minnesota selected the Brampton, Ontario, native in the fifth-round (No. 38 overall).
The signings are currently pending league approval.
