The environment is new, but also familiar as an NLL setting.
With the 2018 NLL Draft back in the states for the first time in more than half a decade, Philadelphia, home of the expansion Wings, has the honor of hosting.
One of the flagship cities of the league from more than 30 years ago, the NLL is making its triumphant return to one of the locations that has become synonymous with indoor lacrosse in the states.
Fittingly, there’s American talent across the board, and with two new teams south of the Canadian border, it could be one of the first markers of a new trend in the league.
Connor Fields is one of the most intriguing names in the draft, as a field lacrosse star with Albany and MLL’s Charlotte Hounds, but also contesting with an ACL injury he played through for weeks before having surgery.
If that’s affected his draft stock, he could become a steal.
He might not be ready for the season in early December, but in a league more conscious than ever of its star power, Fields could be worth a late first-round selection.
He’s not the only field talent looking to make an impact. Ian McKay, who has rebounded from injuries of his own, is projected to be drafted in the top-three picks, likely landing with Buffalo.
The Bandits select third and fourth, and have a chance to bolster an offense that’s had some up-and-down moments.
They would have held the top pick if not for an expansion year, leaving San Diego picking first and host Philadelphia second.
In many ways, most of the intrigue lies in those two teams as they try to build off of what’s already been a busy offseason looking to contend in their first seasons.
Most likely 20-year-old Austin Staats will land in San Diego with the top choice and become an instant face-of-the-franchise type player. The left-handed forward might get a chance like rookies haven’t in the past few years, looking to break through with an expansion squad looking to make a splash.
Left for Philadelphia is Chris Cloutier, who has quickly become one of the most dynamic young players in the game. He already left his mark with the Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse, and like Staats, will get a chance to shine and become a leader with a new team.
The Seals have two late first round picks as well to have a chance to fill out their roster. Oakville defender James Barclay and Syracuse scorer Brendan Bomberry highlight some likely choices.
Calgary, after undergoing some roster changes in the offseason, also close out the round with a pair of picks. Fields could drop there, and Maple Ridge lefty Jean-Luc Chetner is also an option. UMass Lowell’s Jon Phillips has also been an interesting sleeper for the late first round.
Trevor Baptiste, with limited box experience, will likely be selected, but where he goes will be a testament to how much the NLL is dedicated to bringing in big names. Field players without a box background are selected every year, but it’s not every draft where they earn big roles.
Tom Schreiber and Kieran McArdle, while they have been excellent making the transition to indoor, remain the exception, so there’s always a risk. Baptiste, with his dominance at the faceoff dot in Denver and success with Boston in MLL, might be a worthy one.
Joel Tinney is another big name who projects to go in the late first or early second round, and Georgia or San Diego feels like a good fit.
Georgia has four second-round selections in a row, so that might a stretch where they opt to take a chance on someone like Baptiste or a goalie like Brampton’s Steven Orleman.
There are many storylines in this year’s draft as a part of an evolving league, and with Halifax entering the fold and at least two more teams not far behind, that should be the case for years to come. Certainly, the spotlight is on the expansion teams for now, and the change in personnel that very well might come with a growing available talent pool.