The other day we took a look at the impact the Midwest Indoor Lacrosse Association had made on the National Lacrosse League. For what is widely considered the lowest level of the new leagues (MILA, CLax, PLL and NALL), they surprisingly had a big impact with several players making it to the NLL.
The only Canadian league of these expansion leagues is the Canadian Lacrosse League, otherwise known as CLax (pronounced Clacks or C-lax, your choice). The NLL is primarily Canadian, so it makes sense that the only Canadian league would have somewhat of an impact.
CLax has different rules than the NLL, maybe making the adjustment a little bit different. But which players have made it to the NLL and seen some action?
Most recently we saw the CLax 2012 MVP Chris Attwood get drafted to the Rochester Knighthawks. Attwood also played with the Whitby Warriors of the Junior A league, but he helped lead CLax’s Ohsweken Demons to a Championship and was their most valuable player along the way.
Scott Komer played with the Peel Avengers, and is now with the Reading Rockets of the PLL. Brandon Turner and Travis Bland are also with that team.
The biggest impact player was probably Pat Saunders who played with the Brampton Inferno and then ended up with the Philadelphia Wings and had a role with the team in regular season games.
Jerome Thompson of the Iroquois Ironmen recently signed a contract with the Washington Stealth. Meanwhile, Eric Bissell played with the Durham Turf Dogs was drafted by the Toronto Rock before he chose to play CLax.
Damon Edwards had also played with Durham before Toronto signed him, and then re-signed him to stay with Toronto in 2013.
CLax has made an impact on the NLL in one year. How far can they go in improving pro lacrosse?
