Rush Acquire Williams and Bold on Thanksgiving Monday
Published on October 10, 2011 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Edmonton Rush News Release
Edmonton, AB-- The Edmonton Rush announced today the acquisition of six-time National Lacrosse League all-star forward Shawn Williams in a major trade with the Rochester Knighthawks.
Williams, along with goaltender Aaron Bold plus a second-round pick in the 2012 NLL Entry Draft, come to the Rush in exchange for Ryan Cousins, Andy Secore, and Kedoh Hill.
Williams was eighth in league scoring and the Knighthawks' leading point-producer last season with 23 goals and 54 assists for 77 points. He has twice eclipsed the 90-point plateau during his 14-year career in the NLL, posting a career-best 93 points in 2009.
While leading the Knighthawks' in scoring last season, Williams averaged 4.81 points per game, registered his fifth season of 50-plus assists, and racked up 64 loose balls.
"We have maintained throughout the off-season that even with the extensive changes we have made, we thought we needed help on the left side of our offense, in particular a veteran to work with our young left shots," said Rush GM/Head Coach Derek Keenan.
"Shawn Williams provides that level of experience along with veteran leadership in the locker room."
Keenan was also pleased to pick up Bold and to stockpile another selection in what is slated to be a very deep 2012 draft pool.
"Aaron Bold is a goalie we have targeted for two years," added Keenan. "He's young but has NLL experience along with the drive and ability to be an NLL starter. We now have tremendous depth in goaltending with three very capable young goalies. We've also positioned ourselves well for the 2012 draft."
Williams, a 36-year-old native of Scarborough, Ontario, has eclipsed the 40-goal plateau three times, notching a career-best 45 in 2004. That campaign was Williams' best to date as he was named the league's Overall Player of the Week three times and Offensive Player of the Week five times en route to a spot on the NLL All-Pro Team.
The five-foot-11, 200-pounder has played the last 10 seasons with Rochester and has scored 20-plus goals in each of the past four seasons. Prior to joining Rochester, Williams spent two seasons with Buffalo and two with Toronto.
Williams was the league-leading scorer in the Major Series Lacrosse this past summer, totaling 120 points to win the scoring title by a whopping 36 points. He notched 41 goals and 79 assists for the Brooklin Redmen during the regular season, and added another 15 points in six playoff games. Williams won a Mann Cup national senior `A' championship with Brooklin in 2000, and holds the MSL record for points in a game with 21 set in 1999. An accomplished field lacrosse player, Williams has twice played for Team Canada at the World Championship, and has been inducted into the Brock University Hall of Fame.
Bold joins the Rush after two seasons in Rochester, and he holds a career 11.78 goals-against average and .767 save-percentage in 54 NLL games. Prior to joining Rochester, Bold spent four seasons with the San Jose/Portland franchise where he posted a career-best 10.33 GAA along with a .784 save-percentage in 2008.
Bold turned in two of his best NLL performance early in the 2010 campaign when he totaled 63 saves in back-to-back games to earn the league's Overall Player of Week. The Victoria, B.C., product was also a teammate of Williams' with the Brooklin Redmen this summer, and he finished with the league's second-best save-percentage at .787 through 18 regular-season games. Bold posted an 11-5 record and mustered 561 saves for Brooklin.
The six-foot-two, 210-pounder was the 29th overall pick (third round) in the 2005 NLL Entry Draft by Portland.
Cousins came to the Rush in a massive trade with Minnesota this past July, as he, goaltender Kevin Croswell, forward Aaron Wilson and a draft pick were dealt to Edmonton for three draft choices.
Secore posted 12 goals and 23 assists for 25 points with the Rush last season, while Hill notched five goals and six assists for 11 points in his rookie campaign.
The Rush opens the 2012 National Lacrosse League season on January 20 at Rexall Place against divisional rival Colorado Mammoth. Tickets are available by calling The Rush office at (780) 732-RUSH.
National Lacrosse League Stories from October 10, 2011
- Can't Miss Preseason Events - Washington Stealth
- Knighthawks Add Top Defenseman, Two Scorers - Rochester Knighthawks
- Rush Acquire Williams and Bold on Thanksgiving Monday - Edmonton Rush
- Washington Stealth Re-Signs Pair of NLL Vets - Washington Stealth
- Mammoth Names 2012 Wild Bunch Dance Team - Colorado Mammoth
- Mammoth Signings Continue - Colorado Mammoth
- Philadelphia Wings to Play Preseason Game Vs Rochester Knighthawks at Sun National Bank Center - Philadelphia Wings
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