View Full Version : Which young guy do you think is gonna take over this year?
GoRocks
10-08-2005, 06:17 PM
I think this is the year that Craig Conn really cements himself as a one of the leagues most dominant players. After last years playoffs, and a good WLA season, I think he has shown his time has come to take over. The guy is prime time, and with the edition of Matt Brown, I think the Sting will be able to challenge for the Cup again. And while i think it will take him a few weeks to get back into the box groove, I could see Greenhalgh becoming dominant for the Wings, my leader for ROY. What are some other opinions?
BClax17
10-08-2005, 06:48 PM
Yeah I'd also like to see Craig Conn take over, with him and Dawson the Sting are going to rock this year.
Hooligan
10-09-2005, 01:03 AM
Craig Conn is a one man wrecking crew. Dominant, and can and should draw double teams all day long, which opens up everyone else.
Dan Dawson is a powerhouse. I didn't buy into the hype until I saw him play. My jaw dropped on this guy.
Philadelphia has some really great youngsters too. Until he got hurt, Andrew Burkholder (who's now with Rochester) was doing a great job. Also, Philly has Rob Van Beek who will be a force this year on defense, as well as Dan Finck who is developing into a stellar transition guy, and Kyle Sweeney who just needs to cut down on the chances he takes sometimes, and will be a solid player. If you go deeper into Philly's roster, you could pick out a few more. *cough*Thomas Hajek*cough*
Overall, I don't want to pick out any single one, but I will say that Philadelphia's defense will take over this league as the "most feared" in less than 2 years.
Stonewall35
10-09-2005, 03:55 AM
I have to agree with Hooligan with his picks.
However, I also feel that, if given the chance, Matt Vinc should be able to steal some games for San Jose. Having said this, I'm not sure if he can knock off Anthony Cosmo or Brandon Miller for one of the spots this year.
RockStar
10-09-2005, 07:24 AM
.......not sure if he can knock off Anthony Cosmo or Brandon Miller for one of the spots this year.
I've seen Vinc play Senior A. He WILL be a good NLL goalie eventually, but not yet.
This is especially true when he has to knock off a 2005 Mann Cup winning goalie, and another goalie who was absolutely stellar through two OLA playoff series. I think either Vinc or Miller, or possibly even Cosmo has to be put on the blocks so SJ can find themselves some more offense.
Philly's going to be scary this year. I wouldn't be surprised if they knock Buffalo or Rochester out of the playoffs this year. Buffalo's goaltending situation is shaky (Dietrich's great, but can't do a whole season himself), Rochester's defense is largely non-existent.
Philly has drafted the right youngsters*, and they have a coach that knows his *** from his elbow now. (*Harrison is a gamble, but if any of the NCAA picks w/o box experience work out, it will be him).
As for some of the other picks here - I'll echo Dawson and Conn as the two best youngsters out there. Big, strong, mobile guys who can manufacture goals by the bucketload. Both can be one-man wrecking crews, just ask Calgary and Colorado.
If Conn's offensive skill wasn't enough to impress you, he is also a top-tier F/O guy and a helluva tough fighter!
If Dawson's offensive skill isn't enough for you, you have to see him kill penalties in Canadian lacrosse (shot clock stops for the short-handed team). in the 2004 playoffs, Dawson singlehandedly erased probably something around an hour's worth of Brampton penalties. IMO, missing Dawson was the biggest reason Brampton failed to bury Peterborough this summer......dumb penalties, and a lousy penalty killing percentage killed Brampton.
laxgoalieking
10-09-2005, 09:11 AM
did vinc get traded too or from calorodo?any way i thinkhe'll be good but mot yet,i think he'll take more a cosmo route where he'll back up cosmo then get traded and is now one of the best starters in the game.
I don't think many young guys will be leaders this year, I think it will still be grant, doyle, ect still lighting it up........
TweeK
10-09-2005, 10:50 AM
I don't think many young guys will be leaders this year, I think it will still be grant, doyle, ect still lighting it up........
yeah i agree with him too.
titans 43
10-09-2005, 10:56 AM
He didn't get drafted but is a rookie and I think jordan cornfield will supriose alot of peole this year. He's strong, decently fast, and has a great shot. But he's never gotten a chance to prove himself until this year. And that's why he's gonna light it up this year in edmonton.
Boxla
10-09-2005, 12:01 PM
If Dawson's offensive skill isn't enough for you, you have to see him kill penalties in Canadian lacrosse (shot clock stops for the short-handed team). in the 2004 playoffs, Dawson singlehandedly erased probably something around an hour's worth of Brampton penalties. IMO, missing Dawson was the biggest reason Brampton failed to bury Peterborough this summer......dumb penalties, and a lousy penalty killing percentage killed Brampton.
First off yah Dawson is sick, but the shot clock doesn't stop in Canadian lacrosse rules when the short handed team picks up the ball thats an older rule. The only thing I can think of is if that is a senior a rule because it is certainly not a CLA rule.
And there is no way Vinc is going to knock off Cosmo in SJ maybe maybe Miller but thats also a longshot. SJ has arguably the best tenders in the league, just watch some MAnn footage and you'll see what I mean about Cos
RockStar
10-09-2005, 12:40 PM
First off yah Dawson is sick, but the shot clock doesn't stop in Canadian lacrosse rules when the short handed team picks up the ball thats an older rule. The only thing I can think of is if that is a senior a rule because it is certainly not a CLA rule.....
It's still an OLA Major rule, and they played the 2004 Mann Cup that way. The only time the clock runs on a PK situation is if you pull the goalie to get a fifth runner on the floor.
Does WLA not freeze the clock on the PK? Too bad if not, I like that a lot better.
GoRocks
10-09-2005, 02:22 PM
RockStar, the WLA freezes the shot clock too, and was used during this years Mann Cup. The Bear Mountain would go wild when Dawson came on to kill a penalty because you just knew that it was 2 minutes off the clock. The guy is something else. The punishment he takes is unbelievable, and how calm he stays about it is even more amazing. He just gets up and goes to the bench. No crying or whining like Jr. or Doyle. And then he comes back for more. With the NLL playoffs last year, and the Mann Cup this summer, Dan has really grown, and I think you will see him and Conn do some really special things this winter. Don't know if the Sting has the overall depth and talent to take the Rock, but with the heart those two have, they will always have a chance.
Matt Vinc will be pretty good, but Cosmo good? Cos is arguably the best goalie right now, and they have a pretty good back up. Don't see why they made the pick. Not when they really suck in a lot of areas. Plus now that Christiansen is coach, don't see him picking Vinc to play much in front of the goalie who won him the Mann. Wierd franchise though. Why pick Ed Brown that early? If you just want NCAA guys for marketing, Ditzell was still on the board and he even had box experience. Whatever, hopefully Walt can right that ship, I think it will be a tough year out west this year.
fitzy_nb_11
10-16-2005, 06:07 PM
yeah i agree with him too.
I agree with that just add conn and dawson on because conn wasn't on his game for like 3/4s the season last year,....but dawson was and I think josh sanderson will have another good season...
Dawson and Conn are both great but I dont think anyone can really compare to Blaine Manning. I know he has played for a couple years already but, he has one of the best power play shots Ive ever seen. Also passing the 100 point mark is nice, he is just a all round damn good player and a essential for the Rock crew.
slinkyspine
11-09-2005, 05:05 PM
Dawson and Conn are both great but I dont think anyone can really compare to Blaine Manning. I know he has played for a couple years already but, he has one of the best power play shots Ive ever seen. Also passing the 100 point mark is nice, he is just a all round damn good player and a essential for the Rock crew.
mm most definetly but hes not a young player. Ive been to his old house and stuff with ihm once and his parents baked my parents cookies. lol other story him and doyle work well on the PP
CougarLax07
11-09-2005, 05:16 PM
ya craig conn is gonna be awesome i saw him play in minnesota and he was the best on the team in his 2nd year in the NLL
Conn I like but Dawson just kind of ennoys me (maybe because I was at the arizona game where they came back to beat my roughies for the final round :ahhno: ) because he is just so big, his shot can go over most defenders :whyme:
I can see arizona going for another run but that comeback against calgary was our fault.
What about Steenhuis? Isnt he only a couple years in?
Hooligan
11-10-2005, 07:13 PM
Steenhuis had an off year, and it seems that everyone forgot about him. Personally, I still view him as one of the more dangerous threats in the NLL. He seems so harmless, until he blows past you at mach 5.
If we're going with young phenoms, what about Ryan Boyle? I dunno, the first American to win the rookie of the year award should gain at least some attention. If he can maintain his focus, he'll be an amazing star in the NLL.
Yeah Ryan seems to have adjusted to Box pretty well.
Ever seen Steenhuis weasel through 3 defenders? He is like a snake.
Hooligan
11-10-2005, 07:17 PM
Ever seen Steenhuis weasel through 3 defenders? He is like a snake.
Why do you think he's one of my favorite players to watch play? OF COURSE I'VE SEEN THAT! LOL I only wish I had that talent...
laxgoalieking
11-10-2005, 07:22 PM
and hasnt he only been playing for like 6-7 years?