Phil Shore, our resident Major League Lacrosse writer, previews all nine MLL teams, in reverse order of projected finish, leading up to opening day Saturday.
Check uslaxmagazine.com/mll before and throughout the season for more analysis and stories from the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league.
Boston Cannons
Projected finish: 6th
2016 record: 8-6
Coach: Sean Quirk, 2nd season
Power Rankings (Scale of 1-5)
Offense: 3
Defense: 4
Faceoffs: 3
Goalie: 3
Key losses: Callum Crawford, A; John Glesener, A; Brent Adams, M
Top returners: Will Manny, A; Max Seibald, M; Brodie Merril, D
New arrivals: Scott Beida, A; Henry Blynn, A; Matt Landis, D
MVP Watch
Will Manny, A
He led the team in points in each of the past two seasons and finished in the top four on the team in all four seasons he’s played in Major League Lacrosse. In the past three years, he’s only missed two games, and he’s scored at least 28 goals in all three, and only twice in the last three seasons has he not scored at least one point in a game (both times in 2016).
Under-the-Radar Star
Challen Rogers, M
He’ll miss the early portion of the season due to his commitments with the Toronto Rock in the National Lacrosse League, but he’s a big, strong midfielder to watch out for. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound midfielder scored five goals and added an assist for Boston in 10 games during his rookie campaign. Quirk said he expects him to make a big jump this season. He showed his playmaker potential in a June 23 win over Chesapeake with three goals and an assist.
Scouting Report
Three things you need to know about the Cannons:
1. John Tucker is back.
In 2015, Tucker was head coach of the Boston Cannons and led the team to an 8-6 record and a playoff appearance en route to being named the league’s Coach of the Year. Tucker left the team to become the first head coach and general manager in Atlanta Blaze history, but he was fired from both positions last July. He returns to the Boston staff in 2017 as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator. Quirk believes his addition will add to the team’s chemistry. “The front office was supportive of that,” Quirk said of the hiring. “Having good people that trust each other will be the next step. We have talent, but it’s winning some of those games early on.”
2. Increased role for Josh Hawkins.
The team lost midfielder Brent Adams, who had 20 goals (including one 2-pointer) and 30 points last season, in the player movement process. Over the past three years, he’s played 14 games each season and increased his goals, assists, points and ground ball numbers. He’s a dynamic player the team will struggle to replace. One player who Quirk thinks can step up is Hawkins. He’s traditionally been seen as a defensive midfielder or transition player, but Quirk sees the potential for more. “We’ve talked about Josh Hawkins having a little more of that role,” he said. “He was able to push transition. He scored a lot of goals. We were confident in having him on the other team’s number one middie. Some guys will step up; they always do.”
3. Defense is the strength.
Despite a low-scoring offense, Boston tied for the second-best goals against average in the league. The team has legendary defender Brodie Merrill. Hawkins was an all-star last season and received two second place votes for Defensive Player of the Year. With the emergence of James Fahey and Brandon Mullins last season, and the addition of Matt Landis, the third overall pick in the 2016 collegiate draft, Quirk believes this unit will be even better in 2017. “John Klepacki, who coached our defense, did a really good job,” he said. “Add in Matt Landis, it gives us a different dynamic, which was cool to watch.
Biggest Question Mark
Who steps up as the third attackman?
Will Manny and David Emala were first and second on the team in goals, assists, and points. The second-lowest scoring team in the league, however, failed to find consistency at the third attack position. Second-round pick Wells Stanwick played eight games, but was traded. Callum Crawford, John Uppgren, John Glesener, Beau Wood, Greg Melaugh and Greg Rogowski were just a few of the names the team played at attack. Boston holds the second pick in the collegiate draft and could add an impact attackman, but until then, second-year pro Kylor Bellistri will get the first opportunity at making the position his own. In six games, he scored five goals and added eight assists, finishing ninth on the team in points.
Enemy Lines
What the opposition has to say about Boston:
“They just got a heck of a lot better with that Landis trade. … They had an exciting brand of lacrosse. … They’re about as dangerous as they get. … The goalie is always interesting with them, but draft-wise, they have the second overall pick so they’ll get another player that’s dangerous. … I think they’re going to be really good, but who replaces what Brent Adams did for them?”
Number of Significance
179
In 2016, the Boston Cannons scored 179 goals. Only one team scored fewer, and that team finished in last place in the league.
Bottom Line
The team has a lot of pieces that are strong. They will miss some key players (Merill, Rogers, Mitch Belisle, Kevin Buchanan) early in the year, which could cost them some games. It would not be a surprise for Boston to be a playoff team, but with a logjam at the top of the league, the team could be on the outside looking in while the few holes in the roster are filled.