With the NLL Draft only two weeks away (Sept 16), the Philadelphia Wings will be selecting 19th overall. Their main focus must be a back-up goaltender. Last season we saw 8 goalies in camp, and saw the departure of a young goalie Steve Fryer in favor of veteran Kevin Croswell (biggest blunder of the season) as backup to Brandon Miller. We ended the season with a goalie from the Toronto Shooting Stars Angus Dinely who was welcomed into the NLL by the Swarm in a 20-10 defeat.
A goalie that had a great chance to make it here was Scott Komer. Komer played a total of 2 minutes in the PLL for the Reading Rockets before he was shelved with a concussion. He played the previous season in the CLAX hoping it made him ready for the NLL. Well Komer didn’t make the squad as he was cut the first weekend.
One name comes to my mind for a definite invite to camp, Patrick Crosby. Crosby is 28 and a local product out of SayervilleNJ. Patrick played goalie for Temple University Ice Hockey from 2003-2006. He also has an extensive box lacrosse experience having played multiple seasons in the Iroquios Lacrosse Association (Akwesasne Mad Mohawks), Quebec Senior Lacrosse League (Vermont Voyageurs), Can/Am Lacrosse League (Rochester Greywolves) as well as with the U.S. Indoor Lacrosse National Developmental Team (2009–2011). In 2011 Crosby represented Slovakia at the 2011 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships in Prague, CZ. Crosby played professionally for the Kentucky Stickhorses where he was the third overall draft pick and was the starter for the NALL championship game against Boston. How many of the eight who came to camp last season will get a return invite? Will Steven Fryer be coming back for another shot at the team? Or will Mikey Thompson come out of retirement for one more run?
If the Wings can not get a goalie through the free agency market, they may have to trade a veteran.
There are three dark horses in the draft, all need some polishing, but with the right seasoning they can go very far
Mitch Wilde Right side defensemen
JoJo Marasco Left Transition from Syracuse
Rob Pannell Right Forward from Cornell
As far as other areas of assistance… hopefully a healthy Seibald for 2014 can bring help to the transition game. A couple big veteran defensemen are needed.
Goaltending is the biggest gift Wings fans want under the tree this year.
