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Two Lacrosse Legends Added As Jax Assistants

November 11, 2008 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Portland Lumberjax News Release


PORTLAND, November 11, 2008 - Dallas Eliuk and Kevin Alexander, two of the most prolific lacrosse players in the world, have been added as assistant coaches for the Portland LumberJax, Head Coach/General Manager Derek Keenan announced today. Eliuk moves to the bench after playing for 18 seasons in the National Lacrosse League; the last three of which were spent in Portland. Alexander previously served as an assistant coach with the Calgary Roughnecks during the 2006 season after a stellar playing career.

"We are adding two of the greatest lacrosse legends to the coaching staff," said Keenan, who recently singed his own two-year agreement. "Dallas is the greatest goalie in the history of the NLL and Kevin is a Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Famer."

The league's all-time saves leader with 6,356 career regular season saves, Eliuk has won four championships (1994, 1995, 1998 and 2001), nine All-Pro Awards and two championship Most Valuable Player Awards (1998 and 2001).

"With 18 seasons of professional play in the sport I love, I have the greatest respect for lacrosse and an unwavering desire to serve the game, my team and the fans," said Eliuk. "I've made the decision to support the Jax this season through assistant coaching and continued ambassadorship of the sport in schools and the community."

"I am also looking forward to a few less blows to the face and head as my wife (105.1 the Buzz's Daria) and I prepare for the arrival of our first child this spring," added Eliuk.

The six-time All-Star boasts a career saves-percentage of 76.24% and has only allowed 12.24 goals-per-game. During Portland's run to the Champion's Cup Final in 2008, Eliuk stopped three of the four shots he faced in an 18-16 win over the San Jose Stealth in the West Division Semifinal. In the West Division Championship, Eliuk stepped in for the injured Matt Disher and helped lead the Jax to a 16-12 win over the Calgary Roughnecks. The veteran netminder made 35 saves and only allowed eight goals in the 44-minutes he played.

"Dallas will handle the defense," said Keenan. "He should have a very easy transition into coaching. He's been around the league and the game of lacrosse for a long time. He's also been around me for three seasons, so he has a full understanding of how the system works."

A two-time NLL Champion with the 1992 and 1993 Buffalo Bandits, which also featured a young Keenan, Alexander scored 35 goals and added 10 assists in 14 career regular season games in the NLL.

Prior to the NLL, Alexander earned Canadian Lacrosse Association Hall of Fame status. He led the Victoria Macdonald's to the 1976 Minto Cup Junior Canadian Championship by scoring 217 points in 28 games and earned the Minto Cup Most Valuable Player Award.

In the Western Lacrosse Association, Alexander played from 1977 to 1986. During that time he scored 797 goals and added 584 assists in 300 games. Alexander even won two Mann Cup titles during his WLA career.

"I have a very serious attitude about winning and success," said Alexander. "Lacrosse, as most things in life are, is about winning. I will stress that."

"Kevin will handle the offensive side of things," added Keenan. "What Kevin brings to the table, probably more than anyone I know in lacrosse, is his ability to look at the game differently than most others do. He has a brilliant lacrosse mind and will bring new, innovative and effective ideas that are somewhat outside of the box. He will also be a tremendous help to a few of our young players like (Cory) Conway, (Peter) Jacobs and (Tim) Campeau."

In fact, Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash was recently asked who his favorite five athletes were growing up. He responded with English soccer star Glen Hoddle, soccer legend Diego Maradona, Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan and the lacrosse legend, Alexander.

"I'm really happy to have Dallas and Kevin on the staff," added Keenan. "They were both legends as players and I know they will be great coaches."

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