Chiefs make blockbuster deal with Rock
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| Photo by Michael Ivanin |
The Chiefs sent forwards Johnny Powless and Ryan Benesch to the Rock, in exchange for Eric Fannell, Ryan Wagner, Bryan Cole, Ian MacKay and a third-round pick in the MSL draft.
“This is an excellent deal for our organization,” Chiefs president Duane Jacobs said. “All four players address voids we needed to fill and all four are young thoroughbreds.”
With the deal, the Chiefs certainly got younger and quicker.
“To get this kind of speed and youth, you have to give something up,” Jacobs said. “We led in three of the five games in the MSL final and trailed by one goal after two periods in the other two games. We had nothing left in the tank for the third period. With the return of Jammer (Cody Jamieson), along with Kellen LeClair and Ethan O’Conner, we are younger, faster, stronger and again in contention for another Mann Cup run.”
MacKay currently is in his senior year at the University of Vermont, where he’s had a brilliant field lacrosse career despite redshirting last year. Cole is a former Hill Academy player from Oakville that plays at the University of Maryland.
Wagner played 10 games for the Rock last season, while Fannell was a standout in the MSL semifinal against the Chiefs. He scored eight goals and 12 assists in nine regular season games.
“Ian McKay is a projected top-three pick in next year’s NLL (National Lacrosse League) draft and brings speed out our defensive end,” Jacobs said. “The same can be said for Bryan Cole, who was a top-five pick In the 2016 NLL draft. Ryan Wagner was a fourth-round pick in the 2016 NLL draft and has turned into a high-end transition defender. Eric Fannell is a top-five NLL pick in this years draft.”
In return, the Rock receive Powless and Benesch. Benesch led the Chiefs and was fifth in MSL scoring with 29 goals and 43 assists in 15 games. Powless only played three games with the Chiefs last season, scoring two goals and five assists.
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