Today the Buffalo Bandits pulled the trigger and acquired Aaron Wilson from the Edmonton Rush. They sent Jeremy Thompson to Edmonton, giving the Bandits a new situation with their transition game.
Wilson has been a solid, right handed goal scorer in the National Lacrosse League for some years. He came up with Toronto in 2003 before being traded to Rochester in 2008.
After six games with the Knighthawks he went to the Minnesota Swarm, where he put up some of his best years. In Toronto he did score 74 and 71 points in seasons, but it was in 2010 when he put up a career high 89 points with the Swarm.
Last season Wilson struggled in his first and only season with the Edmonton Rush. He scored only 31 points in all sixteen games with Edmonton. He had a career low in points and also with just 13 goals.
For Edmonton, they already had a lot of strong shooters on the right side, starting with Ryan Ward who they just re-signed. Also Scott Evans, and then Jarrett Davis, who they just got from Rochester and their first round pick Curtis Knight.
Meanwhile, with the possibility they might lose Luke Wiles, the Bandits really needed a right handed shooter, and he will bring them a lot of versatility on that side.
It hurts for the Bandits to give up Thompson, who had a strong rookie year with Buffalo. However, they need to find a way to replace him now in their transition game. On the left side, the Bandits just re-signed their top transition man from that side in Jimmy Purves. They also just picked up Nick Cotter, who had a solid two seasons in Boston in 2010 and 2011.
Rookies Hayden Smith and Wenster Green are also in the mix. Smith is a solid defending player who will likely make the team; Green is just 19 years old and has his work cut out for him, but he has a ton of potential.
On the right it gets even deeper for Buffalo with Mark Steenhius, David Brock, Jon Harasym and Jay Thorimbert. All in all, replacing Thompson should not be too hard for Buffalo.
