Draft

[SUClax]

Who should Boston pick with their selection in the draft. Should they go for a local or Canadian. I think they're ganna end up trading it again for some quality veteran players like they did last year.

[Crabman19]

Who should Boston pick with their selection in the draft. Should they go for a local or Canadian. I think they're ganna end up trading it again for some quality veteran players like they did last year.

Are you talking entry draft or dispersal draft?

[goddessoflax]

'Cause if you are talking dispersal...DDD for sure. And then I will have the perfect excuse to make a trip to Boston this winter...:D

[BlazerCannon8]

In the dispersal draft it has to be Dawson.

How rare is it to have a guy of his caliber just fall into your lap like that? He can be the face of the franchise.

In the entry draft, depending on who's available, I think the BPA from Ontario is the way to go. Close to Boston to minimize travel costs and he'll have experience playing box.

Local kids are great, and I think that the Blazers will go after Morris and Reid again, but you need guys with lots of box experience to help build the team.

I personally think it would behoove the Blazers to go after some of the guys that play for the Cannons if the also play in the NLL, like John Christmas and Mikey Powell. SJ holds Powell's rights IIRC and I'd look to pick them up and convince Mikey to play. Matt Alrich is another guy who the Blazers traded for last year, and the Cannons just traded for this year. He'd be a good addition. Tom Zummo is another player in both leagues. Matt Poskay is another. And if he's in the draft and available, Paul Rabil would be huge.

This strategy would really help marketing of the sport in Boston IMO and provide some continuity. Plus, I think the players would like playing for 2 teams but in one city. Easier on their personal lives.

[Meathead]

Tom Ryan's original plan was to have an all-US team, IIRC (hey, I've been wrong before) and if he sticks with that, it will be an interesting season for Boston...they may want to try that as a way to cross-over with the Cannons and draw in some MLL fans as well.

[BlazerCannon8]

Tom Ryan's original plan was to have an all-US team, IIRC (hey, I've been wrong before) and if he sticks with that, it will be an interesting season for Boston...they may want to try that as a way to cross-over with the Cannons and draw in some MLL fans as well.

Ryan wanted a heavy US influence, I know that much, but I don't think it was to the extent of a 100% American team. After all, they drafted Pat Merrill 1st overall in the first expansion draft. And Dawson is just staring them in the face right now. If they pass on him because he's Canadian, or take him just to trade him for a handful of American players who aren't near his caliber, that would be a very bad business decision IMO.

I think that he will attempt to have a majority of US players, but he'll have to have some Canadian boys on the roster as well. For one, the majority of the league's players are from north of the border, and two, an all-American team would lack the box experience needed for the team to succeed early on, which is another stated goal.

The Cannons and Blazers are already cooperating with each other, and I think that that relationship will play a big part in the Blazers future. The Cannons are a big draw with a lot of fans, and of those same fans get into the Blazers, that would be a huge win.

[goddessoflax]

You guys are going to love Dangerous Dan Dawson...and Peter Veltman. They are both terriffic guys...great with the fans....and a lot of fun to watch on the floor. A great start for your team.

And I know a few fans from up here who will be planning a road trip or two this winter to watch them, now that they are back in the East....:D

[radicallacrosse]

Another guy Boston should go after is Tim O'Brien. He's got the perfect Irish name, is decent on offense, and is known as the Surgeon for a reason. He's the heavy weight champion and is a Free Agent, I believe.

[Dazz]

...I would think that Ryan might want to address the goaltending situation. Boston is going to have a premier offensive threat in Dawson, but on the other end, they're going to need a quality backstop to get them through what is sure to be a rough 1st season.

I'm not sure if there are any quality UFA goalies out there, but Tom better look at acquiring one, either through a trade or UFA signings.

Just my $.02....

Aaron

[BretMac]

mike miron is availible...or you can trade DDD to toronto for mike poulin ratcliffe wilson and our draft picks :)

[ND14]

...I would think that Ryan might want to address the goaltending situation. Boston is going to have a premier offensive threat in Dawson, but on the other end, they're going to need a quality backstop to get them through what is sure to be a rough 1st season.

I'm not sure if there are any quality UFA goalies out there, but Tom better look at acquiring one, either through a trade or UFA signings.

Just my $.02....

Aaron

It's hard to address this via the entry draft because there aren't always good goalies coming out of junior. They'll probably get a good goalie in the expansion draft because there are lots of teams with backups that are good enough to be starters - Levis, Montour, Croswell and Campbell come to mind.

[mtbf]

but on the other end, they're going to need a quality backstop to get them through what is sure to be a rough 1st season.
Well they have I would say at least a 90% chance of Buffalo only protecting one goalie Thompson or Montour so right there is where Boston will get a quality starter. Even if Buffalo protects two Sams will be left and that would be a great guy off the bench.

The Wings will also be hard pressed to protect 2 goalies making Miller or Blazer attractive picks with Jay Pearce being there if neither of the other two are.

Boston will have a dangerous Attack player and a solid goalie problem I see is locking up defenders

[FixThis]

mike miron is availible...or you can trade DDD to toronto for mike poulin ratcliffe wilson and our draft picks :)

I am gonna say DDD to Edmonton.....just a hunch:rolleyes:

[Bones]

you are correct sir

[BretMac]

bones...pm me back i have a question for you...were ver dan ends up he will dominate

[SUClax]

where are you getting this information that Dawson is going to Edmonton. It wouldn't make sense if you're relying on the fact he doesn't want to travel far from home. I think Boston and New York will be the face of the league to the American public (mainly the population on the east coast that has had a outdoor lacrosse tradition)in the next coming years, just like Toronto is in Canada. I think keeping Dawson would be the smartest thing, and most likely thing. The all-American team is never going to happen and can't happen if you want a competitive team in this league.

[BlazerCannon8]

Bones seems very confident in his opinion on this.

I'd love to know where or from whom he is getting his information.

I doubt Dawson wouldn't want to play in Boston, expansion franchise or not. And it is much closer to his Ontario home than Edmonton is.

A 100% American team would not work in this league of you want to truly challenge for a title. American players just do not have the necessary experience.

Ryan wants an American influence on his team, and East Coast one at that, but he cannot possibly expect to field a team of nothing but American players and expect to win.

He can have both, and DDD is a good start. He doesn't live far away, and there are always jobs in the Commonwealth as a firefighter available. If he starts to become part of the community, it will matter very little that he's from Ontario.

I hope he stays and leads the Cannons in scoring for the next several years.