The 2014 season is only eleven days away and the final rosters have been handed in.
Once again there is a ten player turnover for the franchise. Steve Holmes (released) Paul Rabil (team USA commitment), Mike McLellan (released), Jeff Reynolds (team USA), Ned Crotty (team USA), Pat Heim (released), Drew Westervelt (traded-Col), Kevin Buchanan (team USA/job), Brandon Miller (UNSIGNED), Kyle Hartzell (team USA)
Two of the Wings draft choices, A.J. Mason and James Delaney also didn’t make the cut. Delaney was a standout during the NLL combine prior to the draft registering six goals and five assists
For the Philadelphia Wings, the twenty man roster has ten new faces (5 rookies) Garrett Thul (F), John Ranagan (D), Brian Megill (D), Michael Poppleton (D), Don Alton (G).
New additions via trade /free agency: Ryan Ward (F-Rush 2013) Tracey Kelusky (F-Bandits 2013), Pat Saunders (F-Swarm 2013), Kyle Buchanan (F-Stealth 2013), Evan Kirk (G-Swarm 2013).
Returning players from the 2013 season:
Forwards (3): Jordan Hall, Kevin Crowley, Kevin Ross.
Transition (4): Brodie Merrill, Kyle Sweeney, CJ Costabile, Joel White
Defensemen (3): Brett Manney, Mike Manley, Chad Wiedmaier,
Practice Squad (3): Bill McGlone, Eric Hoffman, Michael Diehl (rookie)
Physically Unable to Perform (PUP): Brendan Mundorf, Max Seibald, Rob Campbell, Kyle Wailes.
The Wings have added some offensive power. Ryan Ward returns to where he started, bringing an average of four points a game, floor leadership and an accurate shot. Tracey Kelusky who enters his fourteenth season in the NLL, not only brings experience & goal scoring, but he knows what it takes to hoist the Champions Cup (twice). Kelusky is also a 5 time all-pro and a true leader.
Pat Saunders who played with the Wings a few years ago was signed as a free agent from Minnesota. Saunders has really improved his game since he last played for the Wings and looks to big part of the offense. Kyle Buchanan also signed as a free agent (Stealth) enters his second year in the NLL. In his rookie season, Buchanan registered 4 goals and 18 assists in nine games. Buchanan will obviously bring youth and speed to the offense along with a very big upside.
The biggest addition is between the pipes. Evan Kirk comes over from Minnesota via trade. Kirk enters his third season after helping the Swarm to the conference semi-finals the last two seasons.
But the biggest question the minds of the Wings fans is, Where is Brandon Miller, and why isn’t he signed. Miller wants to stay in Philadelphia. There have been reports of the Wings not returning calls to Miller and/or his agent, and reports that the Miller camp isn’t returning calls. Miller was franchised by the organization giving him a salary of $33,971 should he sign.
So you ask what could the problem be? Well it can be a number of things. Number of years signed (Brodie Merrill franchised signed for 2 yrs). Miller may want the same as Brodie and Wings may only look at one year. It may also be with all the other signings, giving Miller the franchise pay may be putting the team over the salary cap limit of $400,000. When a team goes over there will be a luxury tax payments accrued.
Wings fans have waited far too long to have a solid 1-2 punch between the pipes. No doubt the Wings fans would like to see Miller back in the red and black.
The 2014 Wings will put this roster to the test this Saturday as they travel to Toronto to face off against the Rock in final preparation for the start of the 2014 regular season starting on December 28th.
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