NLL Rochester Knighthawks

Knighthawks to Bolster Roster at Monday's NLL Entry Draft

Published on September 22, 2016 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


There was no offseason this summer for the Rochester Knighthawks' scouting department, as they traveled around the U.S. and Canada identifying future impact players. On Monday, Sept. 26, the Knighthawks will add five players to their roster at the 2016 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft. The six-round draft will begin at 7:00 p.m. at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre in Oakville, Ontario.

Rochester will kick off the draft by making two selections in the first round; the Knighthawks currently own the sixth and seventh overall picks. It will mark the second straight year that the team has had two first-round choices. In 2015, the Knighthawks drafted Graeme Hossack with the second overall pick and selected Brad Gilles in the ninth spot. Rochester will conclude the draft after welcoming players to the organization in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds.

If you can't make it to the TRAC to take in the festivities, here is a guide to following the 2016 NLL Entry Draft:

VIEWING

Fans can watch the draft live at 7:00 p.m. on NLL.com.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Knighthawks fans can get a behind-the-scenes look at the draft and hear from the draftees and Rochester head coach Mike Hasen by following us on social media. The Knighthawks Draft Day hashtag is #NextManUp.

Give us a follow:

Website: Knighthawks.com

Facebook: @RochesterKnighthawks

Twitter: @RocKnighthawks

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KNIGHTHAWKS DRAFT NOTES:

Knighthawks First Round History: In the past 22 years, the Knighthawks have drafted players in the first round 27 times. The honor of going first belongs to Cam Bomberry. The former Six Nations and Nazareth College star was Rochester's first ever first-round pick, going first overall in the 1995 Entry Draft. He was the first of five first overall picks by Rochester. The Knighthawks also scored big by selecting Cody Jamieson, Sid Smith, John Grant Jr. and Casey Powell with the top pick in the draft. Other First Round Winners: Rochester has consistently built through the draft, choosing future stars like Shawn and Scott Evans, Stephen Keogh, Cory Bomberry, Curt Malawsky, Gillies and Hossack in the first round.

We're No. 1: The Knighthawks have 12 players on their roster that are former first-round picks. Here is the breakdown:

Name Draft Position Year Team

Graeme Hossack second overall 2015 Rochester

Brad Gillies ninth overall 2015 Rochester

Quinn Powless eighth overall 2014 New England

Joe Resetarits sixth overall 2012 Calgary

Stephen Keogh second overall 2011 Rochester

Cody Jamieson first overall 2010 Rochester

Andrew Suitor fourth overall 2010 Minnesota

Sid Smith first overall 2009 Rochester

Craig Point third overall 2007 Boston

Paul Dawson seventh overall 2006 San Jose

Ian Llord fifth overall 2006 Philadelphia

Matt Vinc sixth overall 2005 San Jose

Diamonds in the Rough: Getting picked in the first round, however, does not guarantee you success in the NLL. That was certainly true for several diamonds in the rough that were drafted by the Knighthawks. The most recent late-round pick who has had a major impact is Cory Vitarelli. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2006 NLL Entry Draft, Vitarelli is on his way to becoming a Knighthawks Hall of Famer. Not only has he won three Cups in Rochester, but he has posted 130 goals and 84 assists in 76 career games. The final two players are both enshrined in the team's Hall of Fame. Jeremy Hollenbeck played for 10 seasons in Rochester and helped the Knighthawks win their first Cup in 1997. During his career, the former fourth-round pick registered 64 goals, 118 assists and 486 loose balls in 111 games. Pat Cougevan was tabbed in the fifth round by the Knighthawks and developed into one of the best defensemen of franchise history. He played in 11 seasons in Rochester and was a member of the 2007 Champion's Cup team.

Knighthawks Draft Day Flashbacks: The Knighthawks are highlighting former draft picks Brad Gillies, Stephen Keogh and Cody Jamieson in their Draft Day Flashback series. The segments are running the three Mondays before the draft, with the final installment on Sept. 26 featuring Jamieson. Here are links to the first two videos:

Brad Gilles - Click here to watchStephen Keogh - Click here to watchCody Jamieson (coming on Sept. 26)

NLL Mock Draft & Prospects: To learn where the top players will go in the NLL Draft, click here to read Stephen Stamp's Mock Draft. Fans can also brush up on the top prospects by watching Mia Gordon's player previews. Here are links to six of the top prospects in the draft.

Ryan Keenan - Click here to watchChallen Rogers - Click here to watchMichael Messenger - Click here to watchDan Lomas - Click here to watchHolden Cattoni - Click here to watchVaughn Harris - Click here to watch

Check out the Rochester Knighthawks Statistics

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