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NLL Colorado Mammoth

Mammoth Bid Farewell to Former Defenseman, Captain Dan Coates

July 6, 2020 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Colorado Mammoth News Release


In looking to the future of the organization and addressing needs on its offensive end, the Colorado Mammoth announced a trade Monday morning that sent former Mammoth defenseman and captain Dan Coates to the Georgia Swarm in exchange for forward Zed Williams and an interchanging of 2020 NLL Entry Draft selections.

"We're very fortunate that Dan was an integral part of our organization for nearly a decade and recognize the positive impact he's made on the game of lacrosse and throughout the Denver community," Colorado Mammoth Assistant General Manager Brad Self shared.

Despite only recording five points (2g, 3a) and 32 loose balls in 12 contests during the shortened 2019-20 season, it's Coates' leadership and locker room presence that the organization will miss the most.

Originally drafted by the Mammoth eighth overall in the 2011 NLL Entry Draft, Coates spent nine seasons with Colorado, where he accumulated 75 points (15g, 60a), 122 penalty minutes, 492 loose balls and 139 caused turnovers in 128 career games. The defenseman also rotated in to take faceoffs over the years, securing 477 faceoff wins for the Mammoth. Coates posted 6 points (1g, 5a), 28 loose balls and 13 caused turnovers in 10 postseason appearances with the Mammoth.

The longtime Mammoth defenseman departs the organization ranked among franchise leaders in several categories, including:

Games Played: 128 (4th)

Loose Balls: 492 (7th)

Caused Turnovers: 139 (2nd)

Faceoff Wins: 477 (4th)

Adding to his personal accolades, the four-year captain (2016-19) and two-time assistant captain (2014, 2015) secured two Jay Jalbert Awards as the organization's Teammate of the Year (2016, 2019) and earned two Dave Stilley Awards as the team's Best Defenseman during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

While the former captain regularly delivered on the field and helped establish Colorado as an elite defensive unit, it's often his leadership qualities and charismatic, teammate-first attitude that allowed him to rise as a leader and captain of the team.

Post-game interviews, fan autograph sessions, early-morning practices or late-night flights; Dan was there with a smile, a sharpie and a professional demeanor. A regular participant in youth lacrosse programs, community initiatives and partnership activations, Coates personified the Mammoth brand and represented the organization in professional fashion.

"Dan defines what it means to be a professional athlete, teammate, player, person and captain," Self shared. "We can't thank Dan enough for all that he's done for the Colorado Mammoth organization. We wish him nothing but the best."

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