NLL Colorado Mammoth

Mammoth acquires three in dispersal draft

November 6, 2007 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Colorado Mammoth News Release


DENVER - The Colorado Mammoth selected defenseman Bruce Murray, former University of Denver standout Matt Brown and forward Jed Prossner in the National Lacrosse League dispersal draft on Monday night.

The draft distributed players from the Arizona and Boston franchises - who will not be playing in the 2008 season - among the league's remaining 12 teams. All players on both clubs were available in the draft except for Arizona forward Curt Malawsky, and defensemen Brian Beisel and Peter Lough, all of whom had already qualified as unrestricted free agents.

The Portland LumberJax used the first draft choice to pick Arizona forward Dan Dawson. The New York Titans used the second selection on Boston defenseman Patrick Merrill.

The Mammoth used its first selection, the 11th overall, on Murray, a 6-foot-1, 260-pound veteran of six NLL seasons. Murray collected 13 points, 49 penalty minutes and 141 loose balls during his two seasons in Arizona.

Brown, chosen by the Mammoth at No. 14, played the last two seasons in Arizona after racking up 137 points in 56 collegiate games for the Denver Pioneers. The 6-foot, 200-pound native of Burnaby, British Columbia, tallied 10 goals and four assists for the Sting last season before registering three goals and five assists in three playoff games.

"We're excited about Matt's return to Colorado," Mammoth general manager Steve Govett said. "He is a big, athletic guy with a big shot and adds another scoring threat to our roster."

The Mammoth used its final choice, the 35th overall, on Prossner, a native of Easton, Md. He played collegiately at North Carolina, where he was a finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy, the pre-eminent award honoring the top male player in the United States. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound forward was taken by Boston in the expansion draft scoring six goals in nine games with the LumberJax.

Dispersal draft results

First round

1. Portland - Dan Dawson (F)

2. New York - Patrick Merrill (D)

3. Philadelphia - Rob Blasdell (G)

4. Chicago - Scott Self (D)

5. Minnesota (from Edmonton)* - Andy Secore (F)

6. Chicago (from Toronto)** - Lindsay Plunkett (F)

7. San Jose - Peter Veltman (F)

8. Minnesota - Ryan Avery (G)

9. Calgary - Pat Campbell (G)

10. Buffalo - Craig Conn (F)

11. Colorado - Bruce Murray (D)

12. Rochester - Jack Reid (D)

Second round

13. Rochester - Matt Lyons (F)

14. Colorado - Matt Brown (F)

15. Buffalo - Brian Croswell (F)

16. Calgary - Bruce Codd (D)

17. Minnesota - Mike Grimes (D)

18. San Jose - Sean Morris (F)

19. Toronto - Curtis Ptolemy (F)

20. Edmonton - Chris Seller (F)

21. Chicago - Brock Boyle (F)

22. Philadelphia - Jamie Rooney (F)

23. New York - Matt Alrich (D)

24. Portland - Derek Malawsky (F)

Third round

25. Portland - Brad MacDonald (D)

26. New York - Greg Downing (D)

27. Philadelphia - Brenden Thenhaus (F)

28. Chicago - Andrew Lazore (F)

29. Edmonton - Chris McKay (D)

30. Toronto - Jon Harasym (F)

31. San Jose - Keegan Davidson (D)

32. Minnesota - Mark Tinning (F)

33. Calgary - Greg Hinman (D)

34. Buffalo - Joe Smith (D)

35. Colorado - Jed Prossner (F)

36. Rochester - Alex Smith (FO) (faceoffs)

*Edmonton traded the fifth overall selection to Minnesota in exchange for goaltender Matt Disher.

**Toronto traded the sixth overall selection, Kevin Fines, and a fifth round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft to Chicago in exchange for defenseman Cam Woods.

On Oct. 16, the league cancelled its 2008 season when a deadline to reach a new collective bargaining agreement with its players' association was not met. When a new seven-year CBA was reached with the players' association on Oct. 24, efforts began to create a new schedule for the 2008 season. The original schedule had been lost with the Oct. 16 cancelation.

Due to the unique business issues arising out of the cancelation of the original 2008 season schedule, Arizona and Boston were provided the option of electing inactive status for the 2008 season. The clubs were provided the option to re-enter in 2009 season by participating in the expansion draft or to receive back their rostered players from 2008. Arizona has chosen to re-claim their dispersed players for the 2009 season, while Boston has chosen not to re-claim their players following this season, and will build their 2009 roster as an expansion team.

The league announced a new schedule for the 2008 season on Nov. 2. The season opens on Dec. 29, 2007, when the Mammoth hosts Calgary at Pepsi Center.

Check out the Colorado Mammoth Statistics



National Lacrosse League Stories from November 6, 2007


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