Black Wolves select 10 players in NLL draft

UNCASVILLE, Sept. 22, 2014 – Connecticut’s newest professional sports franchise, the New England Black Wolves, were very busy Monday night at the 2014 National Lacrosse League (NLL) draft, selecting 10 players and making four trades.

The key move was a trade that sent veteran transition player Jordan Hall to Rochester – where he starred in 2011-12 – for the 11th and 28th picks in 2014 and a first-round pick in 2015. The Black Wolves promptly sent that pick in 2015 to Calgary for the sixth, eighth, 26th and 27th picks.

The Black Wolves also acquired veteran Mike McNamara from Colorado in exchange for the 17th overall pick, and Jay Card from Minnesota in exchange for the 40th overall pick. 

New England’s top draft pick Mark Cockerton of Virginia, the No. 6 overall pick.

“We’re all ecstatic,” New England coach Blane Harrison said. “It was a fantastic draft for us. We feel we are almost immediately better as a result.”

Last season, the Black Wolves were the Philadelphia Wings and they went 6-12, missing the league playoffs. From 1989 through 2001, the Wings won six NLL championships, which is still a league record today. But since 2001, Philadelphia earned just four playoff berths in 13 years.

With the sixth pick, the Black Wolves chose Mark Cockerton out of Virginia, where he ranked seventh in the nation as a senior, averaging 2.94 goals per game. The 5-foot-10 forward scored 125 goals in his career with the Cavaliers.

“He is a very skilled individual,” Harrison said of Cockerton.

At No. 8, the Black Wolves chose Quinn Powless, a 6-foot-1 offensive player who helped Six Nations win the Minto Cup in British Columbia Junior A Lacrosse this year.  

Other picks included defenseman Rodd Squire at No. 11, forward Matt Crough at No. 15, forward Josh Johnson at No. 20, defenseman Sheldon Burns at No. 22, forward Ty Thompson at No. 26, defenseman Connor Campbell at No. 28, forward Mike Mawdsley at No. 31 and defenseman Jayson Crawford at 34.

The Black Wolves open the season January 2, hosting the Buffalo Bandits at 7 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit www.blackwolves.com or call 844.LAX.WOLF (529.9653).

55 players selected in NLL draft
TORONTO, Sept. 22 — A total of 55 players heard their names called at the 2014 National Lacrosse League Draft at Toronto Rock Athletic Centre. The Edmonton Rush selected Ben McIntosh from Drexel University with the first overall selection while Jeremy Noble (University of Denver) to the Rochester Knighthawks and Miles Thompson (University at Albany) rounded out the top three picks.

The results from the entire six-round draft are listed below:

FIRST ROUND
1. Edmonton (from Minnesota): Ben McIntosh (Drexel University)
2. Rochester (from Vancouver): Jeremy Noble (University of Denver)
3. Minnesota (from New England via Edmonton): Miles Thompson (University at Albany)
4. Colorado: Eli McLaughlin (Coquitlam)
5. Minnesota (from Buffalo): Shane MacDonald (Brampton)
6. New England (from Toronto via Calgary): Mark Cockerton (University of Virginia)
7. Colorado (from Edmonton): Robert Hope (Pfeiffer University)
8. New England (from Calgary): Quinn Powless (Six Nations)
9. Buffalo (from Rochester via Vancouver): Brandon Goodwin (Adelphi University)

SECOND ROUND
10. Minnesota: Joe Maracle (Six Nations)
11. New England (from Vancouver via Rochester): Rodd Squire (Six Nations)
12. Vancouver (from New England via Buffalo): Conrad Chapman (Nanaimo)
13. Edmonton (from Colorado): Adam Shute (New England College)
14. Buffalo: Matthew Bennett (Brampton)
15. New England (from Toronto): Matt Crough (Dowling College)
16. Calgary (from Edmonton via Buffalo via Colorado): Tyson Roe (Concordia University Wisconsin)
17. New England (from Calgary via Toronto): Alex Buque (American International College)
18. Buffalo (from Rochester via New England): Tyler Ferreira (Dowling College)
19. Edmonton (compensatory): Tyler Melnyk (Marquette University)

THIRD ROUND
20. New England (from Minnesota): Josh Johnson (Six Nations)
21. Vancouver: Brandon Clelland (Orangeville)
22. New England: Sheldon Burns (Dowling College)
23. Vancouver (from Colorado via Rochester): Dan Keane (University of Delaware)
24. Buffalo: Jordan Dance (Orangeville)
25. Vancouver (from Toronto): Jakob Doucet (New Westminster)
26. New England (from Edmonton via Calgary): Ty Thompson (University at Albany)
27. Rochester (from Calgary via New England): Brier Jonathan (Six Nations)
28. New England (from Rochester): Connor Campbell (Brampton)

FOURTH ROUND
29. Minnesota: Eric Guiltinan (Brampton)
30. Vancouver: Matt Delmonico (Seton Hill)
31. New England: Mike Mawdsley (Sacred Heart University)
32. Colorado: Zach Rogers (Providence College)
33. Toronto (from Buffalo): Brandon Benn (Johns Hopkins University)
34. New England (from Toronto): Jayson Crawford (Brampton)
35. Edmonton (from Edmonton via Minnesota): Matt MacGrotty (Bryant University)
36. Calgary: Pat Henry (Calgary Mountaineers)
37. Rochester: Ian Martin (Six Nations)

FIFTH ROUND
38. Minnesota: Pat Miles (New England College)
39. Vancouver: DJ Saari (Coquitlam)
40. Minnesota (from New England): Paxton Leroux (Peterborough)
41. Colorado: DJ Giacobbo (Canisius College)
42. Colorado (from Buffalo): Terry Ellis (University at Denver)
43. Toronto: Jordan Robertson (Whitby)
44. Edmonton: Chad Mitchell (Bellarmine University)
45. Calgary: Cam Gardner (Bellarmine University)
46. Rochester: Anthony Patterson (Six Nations)

SIXTH ROUND
47. Edmonton (from Minnesota): Mitch McAvoy (Mercyhurst University)
48. Vancouver: Steve Ferdinandi (New Westminster)
49. Buffalo (from New England): Mike Melnychenko (Chestnut Hill)
50. Colorado: Mike Crampton (United States Air Force Academy)
51. Toronto (from Buffalo): Brady Haseltine (Mercyhurst University)
52. Toronto: Darryl Robertson (Whitby)
53. Edmonton: Mike Digeralmo (Edmonton Outlaws)
54. Calgary: Andrew Smistad (Marquette University)
55. Rochester: Zach Williams (Six Nations Rebels)