Monday morning was a busy one in the National Lacrosse League, with two significant trades going down — both involving the Georgia Swarm.
The Swarm opened the day by sending star defender Jason Noble to the Toronto Rock for a conditional first-round pick (2020 or 2022) and a 2021 first-round pick.
Minutes later, news dropped of another blockbluster trade involving Georgia. The Swarm sent Zed Williams and two 2020 second-round picks to the Colorado Mammoth for defender Dan Coates and the sixth-overall pick in the 2020 NLL Draft.
In Monday’s first trade, the Swarm departed with a mainstay in order to acquire prized draft capital. Noble was the 2017 NLL Defensive Player of the Year and player a key role in the Swarm’s 2017 NLL title.
Noble was selected by Georgia second overall in 2013 and played in 119 games with the Swarm. Over the course of seven seasons, he tallied 405 loose balls and 98 caused turnovers in addition to five goals and 20 assists.
“Trading Jason was a very difficult decision,” Owner and General Manager John Arlotta said in a press release. “He has been an integral part of the Swarm for seven years, including his leadership as an assistant captain, as well as his major contributions in 2017 when we won our NLL World Championship and he was the Defensive Player of the Year. Losing him on the field and in the locker room will be difficult, but these draft picks will allow us to position ourselves to be a championship-caliber team in the future, as well as now.”
The franchise traded another contributor in Williams, along with the No. 24 and 26 picks in the 2020 NLL Draft, for Colorado Mammoth defender Dan Coates and the sixth overall pick in this year.
Coates, 33, joins the Swarm after serving team captain for the Mammoth from 2016-20. He has played in 128 games since being drafted in the first round by Colorado, amassing 492 loose balls, 139 caused turnovers and 476 faceoff wins over nine seasons.
He most recently had 34 loose balls and five caused turnovers for a Mammoth team that finished the 2020 season at 7-6.
“We are elated to get a veteran player of the stature of Dan Coates,” Arlotta said. “He is an immensely talented defensive player who plays maximum minutes, including man down and face-offs. As good as he is, what our fans will quickly come to recognize is his incredible competitiveness and desire to win. His leadership and character are a perfect fit for the Swarm.”
In return, Georgia will part with the services of Williams, the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NLL Draft. Williams had put up 83 points in 39 career games with the Swarm.
This past season, Williams had 30 points (18 goals, 12 assists) and 56 loose balls in 12 games.
Rock Add De Snoo for Sorensen, Tulett, First-Round Pick
The Toronto Rock, fresh off picking up Jason Noble from the Swarm, sent a conditional first-round pick (2020 or 2022) and defensemen Brock Sorensen and Alec Tulett to the Buffalo Bandits for defenseman Mitch De Snoo. The pick becomes a 2020 first round pick if Georgia opts to take Toronto’s 2022 pick instead of the 2020 first round pick as part of the Noble trade completed earlier today.
De Snoo, the fifth-year veteran with the Bandits, joins the Rock after leading Buffalo with 86 loose balls in the 2020 season.
Coming to Buffalo is Sorensen, who has caused at least 10 turnovers and picked up 50 loose balls in each of his six seasons in the NLL. He has 424 career loose balls. Tulett made his debut for Toronto in 2019 and has tallied 38 loose balls and eight turnover in 16 career games.
Riptide Add Mitchell
The New York Riptide were also active on Monday, sending the 18th overall pick in the NLL Draft (second round) to the New England Black Wolves for defenseman Mack Mitchell and the 29th overall selection (second round).
Mitchell had four assists and 23 loose balls in the shortened 2020 season with the Black Wolves.