Clip of the Day: 2010 MLL All-Star Game

Lacrosse’s most acclaimed players faced off as the MLL All-Stars took on Team USA at Harvard Stadium on Thursday, July 8th.  Team USA ended up winning a well fought game, but the half-time skills competition was a fan favorite, putting the spotlight on the most impressive and creative participants. 

MLL Announces Skills Competition Participants….Who’s Going to Win?

The Major League Lacrosse league announced the participants in the 2010 Bud Light Skills Competition. This competition will take place at Harvard Stadium in Boston Mass during the half time MLL All-Star Game tomorrow July 8^th at 7:30. The Bud Light Skills Competition is made of up three very entertaining events which include the 2-Point Shooting Contest, Fastest Shot Contest and Freestyle Contest.

 The 2-Point Contest participants are: Ned Crotty (USA/Chicago Machine), Peet Poillon (MLL/Chesapeake Bayhawks), Stephen Peyser (USA/Long Island Lizards), and Spencer Ford (MLL).

The Fastest Shot Contest will include Kyle Dixon (USA/Chesapeake Bayhawks), Max Seibald (USA/Denver Outlaws), Anthony Kelly (MLL/Chicago Machine), Paul Rabil (USA/Boston Cannons) and David Evans (MLL Legend).

The last contest will be the Freestyle Contest. This contest will include Brett Queener(MLL/Toronto Nationals) who won the contest last year, along with Stephen Berger (MLL/Long Island Lizards), Chris Rotelli (MLL/Chicago Machine) and Kevin Buchanan (MLL/Boston Cannons).

Who will be taking home the prize this year for each event?

I predict Peet Poillon for the 2-Point Contest, Paul Rabil for the Fastest Shot once again, and Brett Queener for the second consecutive year in the Freestyle Contest!!

Rabil being a beast

WHO’S NEXT???

Everyone should check out the latest in our WHO’S NEXT series, analyzing the top seniors in collegiate lacrosse as we approach the June player draft. This weeks update lets you know how the players who have previously been highlighted are doing in their current seasons. Who’s stock is rising and who’s dropping? Check it out at BostonCannons.com!

An Education in Roster Management

Yesterday the Cannons acquired 7 new players to fill out their roster and now that we have this blog up and running it seems the perfect way to give you some insight into how the roster is compiled.  It’s some complicated stuff so we asked Cannons GM Mark Kastrud to help navigate us through it.

At the end of every season each team in the MLL protects up to 23 players on its roster.  These 23 players are the core of the organization.  Any player not protected by a team becomes eligible for the MLL Supplemental Draft.  The number of rounds in the Supplemental Draft has varied over the years, this year it was 7 rounds.  The Supplemental Draft Order is decided by the standings of the just concluded season; the worst team gets the first pick, second to last the second pick and so on.

At the end of the Supplemental Draft teams may acquire additional players beyond the ones they have just drafted.  Teams must put in a claim for a player.  If multiple teams put in a claim for the same player the player’s rights are awarded to the team that put in a claim who had the worst record.  Kastrud said it’s uncommon for multiple teams to put in a claim for the same players as teams at this point typically claim local players.

Kastrud pointed to John Ortolani as a player taken in the Supplemental Draft in the past who has a real chance to make an impact in the league.  In addition to the 7 round draft the Cannons selected 9 players through the waiver claim process for a total of 16 supplemental eligible players.

John Ortolani was a supplemental pick who could make an impact

Players had until March 1^st to sign their MLL contracts or they weren’t eligible to play in the league this season.  If a player chooses not to sign, the team that has his rights retains his rights until they must choose 23 players to protect at the end of the season.  The team could choose to protect a player who did not play the previous year, but that is also uncommon because the 23 protected slots are precious.

Now some of you may be wondering how the Cannons could sign 7 players yesterday, after the contract signing deadline.  Good Question says Kastrud! Any player who was not selected in the supplemental draft is not subject to the contract signing deadline and may be signed by any team at any time.

After the contract signing deadline the Cannons had available space on their roster.  Kastrud indicated the 7 players signed yesterday will get a serious look in training camp, “We’re always looking for that diamond in the rough,” he said.  Brandon Spillett is a player the Cannons acquired whose availability is seen as somewhat of a surprise considering the previous success he has enjoyed as a member of the now defunct Rochester Rattlers.

Kastrud was sure to clarify that there are essentially two different rosters and actually three after the Collegiate Draft; are you still following? The first roster is the off-season 40 man roster that we have covered up until this point.  Next is the in-season roster.  The in-season roster consists of 23 players, 19 of whom may be active and dress for a game. 

On top of the 23 player roster, after training camp each team designates 8 players to its practice squad.  A practice squad player may be signed by another MLL team at any time, but must then be placed on that teams active roster; meaning a team cannot sign another teams practice squad player to make them a part of their practice squad.

And there’s one more aspect to this personnel carousel, and that’s the draft. The draft is the “third roster” that Kastrud referred to earlier. The MLL is somewhat unique in having its draft during the season.  To enable teams to keep their roster stable and allow young players to develop, collegiate players can be put on a special “Collegiate Inactive” list.

Paul Rabil quickly made the transition from college to the pro's

 Players with this designation may practice with the team but cannot play in games.  If a team wishes to activate a college player they must waive a member of the 23 man roster.

The draft this year is June 6^th at Yale, the top collegiate seniors will scrimmage against Team USA.  The event is open to the public and sounds like a great time! You can read more about it at bostoncannons.com.  The Cannons have 5 of the first 21 draft picks this year.

Hope that gives some insight into the flow of an MLL roster, pat yourself on the back if you were able to follow all the way through!  If you have any questions for GM Mark Kastrud post them here and he’ll try to answer them.