So I took the time out to break it down per team rather than per round. However, I’ll lay out each player in the order of which they were taken. Plus each team is ordered in the fashion of which they picked. (ie: First team will be Toronto with their first pick). I also will include some talking points for the players I know something about.
Toronto Nationals
Toronto:
- Kyle Rubisch, D, Dowling
- Brian Christopher, M, Hopkins- Have you seen his shot on the run? He buries the ball.
- Kevin Leveille, A, UMass
- Solomon Bliss, D, ‘Cuse
- Regis McDermott, D, Notre Dame, An All-American Defenseman, played bagpipes for ND, and was a teammate of mine at Chaminade. Great defender.
- Nick Cotter, M, Dowling
- Donny Moss, M, Adelphi
Consensus: I’m thinking that Toronto knows something that we don’t know with all these DII picks. For all we know these guys can flat out play, but just haven’t seen the competition week in week out.
Rochester is back!
Rochester:
- Dan Groot, M, Maryland
- Shane Koppens, A, Loyola
- Scott Ditzell, D, ‘Cuse
- Andrew Spack, M, Loyola
- Tim DeBlois, D, Cornell
- Greg Niewieroski, A, ‘Cuse
- Ari Sussman, A, Dartmouth- All-Ivy for four years. He put up all sorts of points against pretty solid competition. Should be interesting to see if he ever dresses
Consensus: They loaded up at the top with Groot and Koppens who are proven players, and I really like their late pick ups of Niewieroski and Sussman.
Denver
Denver:
- Terry Kimener, M, UMBC
- Ryan Cranston, M, Lynchburg
- Jim Borell, M, Maryland
- Mickey Thompson, M, UVa
- Tom Ethington, D, Denver
- Shane Walterhoefer, M/FO, UNC
- Rhys Duch, M, Stony Brook
Consensus: I don’t know much about this crew. I think Kimener was on the Tewaarton Watch List, and I know Walterhoefer can faceoff. He killed it at UNC, and I think his stats have carried over to the pro game.
Beantown
Boston:
- J.J. Morrissey, M, UVa
- Steven Boyle, A, Hopkins- I have never been his biggest fan. I always felt that he was the beneficiary of being the product of having a better supporting cast, and never drawing the 1. However, he was always able to put up points, and something has to be said of that.
- Pierce Derkac, M, Cornell- I’ve read some of his articles on Inside Lacrosse, and his writing is fabulous.
- Benson Erwin, M, Hopkins
- Bruce Bickford, G, Drexel
- Jason Duboe, M, Harvard- Some of my friends at Siena played him, and said that he was as advertised, a true player.
- Chazz Woodson, A, Brown
Consensus: Seems like a strong group. I hope the existing defense is good, because they loaded up on O.
LawnGuyLand
Long Island:
- Craig Dowd, A, Georgetown- He falls into the same category for me as Boyle. I can’t see him having a great career, but still he played for Team USA. He puts up points. Perhaps he’ll benefit from having Danowski on the same line. I still stand firm that he has never truly impressed me.
- Nick O’Hara, D, Duke- Ground ball machine, and even better in transition as a result. Great pick-up
- Chris Rotelli, M, UVa
- Julian Watts, M, Hofstra
- Anthony Muscarella, M, Hofstra
- Tommy Davis, A, Princeton- Davis is a heady attackman. He finished top 3 in his class at Division in Levittown before heading over to Princeton. He’s a disciplined, smart and effective player. I could see him having an awesome professional career.
- Joe Yevoli, A, ‘Cuse
Consensus: Is it me or is LI loading up on St. Anthony’s guys here? Yevoli and Watts are both studs though. Yevoli should be able to step in right away, and be effective. I also think that Nick O’Hara is going to bolster their transition game while providing a tangible X-factor.
Greater Maryland/D.C. Bayhawks
Chesapeake:
- Ryan McClay, D, Cornell- Team USA guys are never a bad choice
- Bret Manney, M, Delaware
- Mark Kolver, M, Princeton- Lefty Lazer
- Stephen Bauer, D, Georgetown
- Jake Deane, D, UMASS
- Shawn Nadelen, D, Hopkins- Another Team USA guy
- Joey Kemp, G, Notre Dame- The brick wall who kept Scotty Rodgers from starting
Consensus: A couple Team USA guys, a stalwart between the pipes and a shooter? Seems like all needs were addressed in this draft for Chesapeake.
