Rush make Mammoth deal
March 25, 2008 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Edmonton Rush News Release
EDMONTON, AB - The Edmonton Rush have traded forward Chris Gill, one of the team's most-prolific scorers who holds a number of records in the franchise history books.
Gill, who is in his 12th season in the National Lacrosse League, was dealt to the Colorado Mammoth along with a second-round pick in the 2008 NLL Entry Draft in exchange for Colorado's first-round pick in the 2008 NLL Entry Draft.
"Chris was a dominant player for the Rush last season but it's imperative that we look towards the future and that mission starts with getting quality young players in the Entry Draft," said Rush GM/Head Coach Bob Hamley.
"Last season, Chris was by far our most exciting player to watch," added Rush President Duane Vienneau. "Everyone with the Rush would like to thank Chris for his service to this team and we wish him well."
Gill's 12 goals this season had him tied with Dan Stroup for the lead with the Rush and he was also tops on the club with six power-play markers. The 36-year-old entered the 2008 campaign in eighth spot on the NLL's all-time career goal-scoring list with 316 after reaching the prestigious 300-goal plateau during a standout 2007 season with the Rush.
The 2007 season got off to a bang for Gill as he collected a team-record eight points (four goals, four assists) in the home opener against Philadelphia. That victory was the Rush's first on their home floor and his effort earned Gill the NLL's Offensive Player of the Week honour.
Gill set a number of Rush milestones in 2007 including the fastest two goals by one player (44 seconds), registering five hat tricks in a season, and collecting the elusive sock trick - six goals in one game - in a remarkable performance against the Calgary Roughnecks. He finished the season with 37 goals and 25 assists for 62 points.
Gill was acquired by the Rush along with Dan Stroup and Ryan O'Connor via the Chicago Shamrox during the 2006 NLL Expansion Draft.
For Gill, who has a current total of 550 career points, this is his second tour of duty with Colorado after helping guide the Mammoth to the 2006 NLL Champion's Cup title. In that season, the Pitt Meadows, B.C., native notched 29 goals and 16 assists for 45 points in 16 games. Gill's best season in the NLL came in 2002 with the Vancouver Ravens when he registered career-highs with 53 goals and 90 points.
Rush acquire first-rounder and netminder
Swap of goaltenders sees Disher sent to Portland
The Edmonton Rush have completed a trade with the Portland LumberJax that sees the rivals in the National Lacrosse League's West Division swap goaltenders.
The Rush have acquired goaltender Matt King, defenceman Ian Crashley, and a first-round pick in the 2009 NLL Entry Draft from Portland in exchange for goaltender Matt Disher and a fourth-round pick in the 2009 NLL Entry Draft.
"When I first came to this job, I wanted to re-acquire some of the top-end draft picks that had been previously traded away," said Rush GM/Head Coach Bob Hamley. "Picking up a first-rounder from Portland is a good move plus we get a solid goaltender in Matt King who is only 25 but already has a wealth of experience."
King, a native of Victoria, B.C., has a 4-5 record with the LumberJax this season along with a 12.00 goals-against average and a .720 save-percentage. King's best season came in 2006 when he anchored the expansion LumberJax to the West Division title with an 11.10 goals-against average and a .769 save-percentage.
A six-year veteran, the six-foot-one, 210-pounder was a third-round pick (29th overall) of the Calgary Roughnecks in 2001. King played three seasons with Calgary before joining Anaheim for the 2005 season and then moving on to Portland in the 2006 NLL Dispersal Draft.
Crashley was the Jax' second-round pick (21st overall) in the 2006 NLL Entry Draft and has racked up one goal and three assists for four points in 10 games this season. The six-foot-five, 185-pound native of Whitby, Ont., had two goals and four assists as a rookie in 2007.
Disher joined the Rush in a trade with the Minnesota Swarm during the 2007 NLL Dispersal Draft. The 10-year veteran sported an 0-3 record with the Rush along with an 11.65 goals-against average and a .750 save-percentage. The LumberJax will be Disher's sixth club with prior stops in Buffalo, Ottawa and Anaheim before going on to Minnesota and Edmonton.
Short stay for Accursi
Rush deal leading scorer back to East Division
Edmonton Rush GM/Head Coach Bob Hamley finalized a massive overhaul of the team roster making his third significant deal before the National Lacrosse League's trade deadline.
After previously trading Chris Gill and Matt Disher, Hamley sent Mike Accursi, the Rush's leading scorer and one of the NLL's all-time top goal-scorers, to the Buffalo Bandits in exchange for forward Dan Teat along with Buffalo's second-round pick in the 2008 NLL Entry Draft and a first-round pick in the 2009 NLL Entry Draft.
"Just as we did in trading Chris Gill, by trading a valuable veteran like Mike Accursi we have acquired two more draft picks including a first-rounder that should turn out to be good young players," said Hamley. "Plus Dan Teat is a player who we can expect big things out of in very similar fashion to two other recent additions - Lindsay Plunkett and Mike Hominuk."
Through 12 games this season in Buffalo, Teat, a native of Brampton, Ont., had racked up 11 goals and 23 assists for 34 points. He is coming off a pair of 50-plus point seasons with the Bandits and registered 65 points in 2005 with Buffalo.
Accursi, who joined the Rush during an off-season trade with the defending champion Rochester Knighthawks, had 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points and represented the Rush in the 2008 NLL All-Star Game at Rexall Place.
With the departure of Accursi and Chris Gill, the team has named original Rush members Jimmy Quinlan and Rory Glaves as the new Assistant Captains.
OTHER ROSTER MOVES:
In some smaller roster moves today, the Rush have signed Chris McKay, who was acquired from Arizona in the 2007 NLL Dispersal Draft, and placed him on the Active Roster and moved goaltender Kurtis Wagar from the Injured Reserve List to the Active Roster.
The Rush have also released several players including original team member Darren Hillier. Also given his release was Corey Melville while Kris Hartzell, Ryan Polny and Shaun Wilhelm were released from the Practice Roster. And veteran defenceman Peter Gut was placed on the Injured Reserve List.
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National Lacrosse League Stories from March 25, 2008
- Rock acquire Roughnecks forward Lewis Ratcliff - Toronto Rock
- Rush make Mammoth deal - Edmonton Rush
- Knighthawks Sign Forward Cory Vitarelli To Two-Year Deal - Rochester Knighthawks
- Bandits Acquire Mike Accursi - Buffalo Bandits
- New York Titans And Wounded Warrior Project Host "Heroes Cup" - Orlando Titans
- Jax And Rush Swap Three Players - Portland Lumberjax
- Gill Returns To Mammoth In Deal With Rush - Colorado Mammoth
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