NLL Trade Deadline Preview – The West

The National Lacrosse League trade deadline is locked in for March 19th. Saskatchewan and Rochester kicked off the wheeling dealing season earlier this week in the Dan Dawson transaction.

What other moves could be brewing in the front offices of West Division franchises? I dove into possible team needs and players of interest with IL Indoor’s Stephen Stamp. Listen to our conversation below.

Current Standing: 4^th in the West (1-10)

Possible Moves:

Vancouver will need to decide if 2018 was a terrible one-off or whether they are going into rebuild mode. A blow it up mentality could mean that big names such as Corey Small, Rhys Duch and Andrew Suitor become available in order to stockpile draft picks. Shaking up an underwhelming goaltending group is also a possibility.

Current Standing: 3rd in the West (4-6)

Possible Moves:

The Roughnecks own a formidable roster, which is why their 1-5 start was so confusing. However, the emergence of young goaltender Christian Del Bianco as a true No. 1 help put Calgary back on track as they’ve won three of the last four.

That puts the Riggers within striking distance of second place in the division. An asset that could be dealt is backup netminder Frankie Scigliano. He’s been a competent starter and would make any goalie room stronger. Another name is forward Tyler Digby who’s a proven 30-goal scorer stuck in a massive slump that could garner interest league wide.

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Current Standing: 2^nd in the West (5-3)

Possible Moves:

Colorado will arguably be the most interesting team to watch at the deadline. The Mammoth overcame injuries and departures early on then lost a couple in-a-row, and got back on track by blasting 19 past New England. So are they contenders or pretenders in the West?

Adding a crash and bang forward, back-end depth, as well as veteran goaltender may all be on the Mammoth’s check list leading up to March 19^th.

Current Standing: 1^st in the West (9-2)

Possible Moves:

As mentioned earlier the Rush already made a splash deal in acquiring veteran Dan Dawson from Rochester in exchange for a second-round selection in the 2018 draft and a third-rounder in 2020.

Saskatchewan has positioned itself over recent years to be in the enviable position of having a core in its prime while still possessing a plethora of draft picks. At 9-2 they’re the only club to have clinched a playoff spot. Bringing in Dawson does mean an abundance of right handed shooters and that could mean one becomes available come trade deadline day.

Andy McNamara has been a play-by-play commentator for the NLL on TSN, NLLTV.com, and world lacrosse tournaments since 2011. He’s also a sport talk host and anchor on TSN 1050 sports radio. Follow Andy on twitter @AndyMc81.