Rock Select Six at NLL Draft
September 18, 2020 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Toronto Rock News Release
Oakville, ON - The 2020 National Lacrosse League Draft welcomed 93 players to the league on Thursday night through the league's annual selection process. The Toronto Rock started the night with five selections but added a sixth via trade, in the six round draft.
Prior to the draft, the Rock made a couple of significant moves in adding superstar defenders Jason Noble and Mitch de Snoo via trades. The primary cost to add those pieces was the Rock's first round picks over the next three drafts. That meant Rock had a lengthy wait before making their first pick which fell in the second round, 30th overall.
With their first pick, the Rock selected faceoff specialist TD Ierlan from Yale University. The native of Victor, NY is the most decorated faceoff man in NCAA history and will be going back to Yale for a fifth year of eligibility as a result of the shortened 2020 NCAA season. While Ierlan holds a pile of NCAA records, the all-time faceoff record of 1,159 is perhaps the most impressive.
Going into the draft, the Rock didn't have a third round pick as they had dealt it to Saskatchewan to acquire Dan Taylor in 2018. Just moments before the Rush were set to use the pick, the Rock re-acquired that selection in exchange for a 2021 third round pick.
With the re-acquired pick, the Rock selected defender Phil Mazzuca from the Oakville Buzz of the Ontario Jr. A Lacrosse League (OJALL). The 6-foot, 175 lbs native of Oakville, ON captained his hometown Buzz in 2019. The 20-year old Mazzuca also captured the Baggataway Cup, the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association, with the Western Mustangs in 2018 and 2019.
In the fourth round, 62nd overall, the Rock selected defender Chris Weier from the Orangeville Northmen (OJALL). The steady defender has the ability to push the ball in transition and brings a high lacrosse IQ to the table. Rock Assistant Coach and GM Bruce Codd coached Weier with the Northmen and won the Minto Cup Canadian Jr. A Championship together in 2019.
The Rock continued to build their back door with the selection of stay at home defender Curtis Romanchych with their fourth round pick, 67th overall from the Orangeville Northmen. The 21-year old native of Aurora, ON also won the Minto Cup with Orangeville in 2019.
In the fifth round, 77th overall the Rock selected forward Scott Del Zotto from the Burlington Chiefs. After being acquired at the 2019 OJALL trade deadline from Kitchener-Waterloo, Del Zotto scored 14 goals and added 14 assists in 14 playoff games for the Chiefs. He played collegiately at Boston University but has since transferred to Western University.
The Rock made their final pick in the sixth round, 90th overall selecting defender Daniel Balawejder from the Six Nations Arrows of the OJALL. The 6-foot, 245 lbs. native of Etobicoke, ON played the bulk of his Jr. A lacrosse from the Mimico Mountaineers. Balawejder played collegiately at Canisius College
2020-21 Toronto Rock Season Memberships are on sale now! For more information or to purchase, please visit torontorock.com.
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