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Another Nine Players Signed

November 30, 2006

The Swarm re-signed the following players to one-year contracts for the 2007 season. Today’s transactions include five defensemen, three forwards and a goaltender:

2006 Stats

  • D - Ryan Cousins - 13 GP 2g 6a 65 LB - (2005-06 Swarm) - The Swarm’s captain leads today’s signings back to this winter wonderland in Minnesota. Defenseman #50 Ryan Cousins comes back for his third season in Swarm colors. The two-time all-star comes off a summer, which saw him win his third straight Mann Cup. As he always says, “Offense wins games, Defense wins championships”.

  • D - Jon Sullivan - 16 GP 2g 5a 61 LB - (2005-06 Swarm) - After a much improved second season with the Swarm last year, #23 Jon Sullivan returns to play defense for Minnesota. Originally signed as a free agent in 2004, Sullivan barely played half the games in 2005 but in 2006, the laxer from St. Catherines was one of the few Swarmies to appear in all sixteen games. A very good mix of size and speed, Sullivan should soon if not already move into the top echelon of defensmen in the league.

  • D - Travis Hill - 3 GP 6 LB 7/14 FO - (2005-06 Swarm) - On the same day, June 30th, 2006, that Sullivan was born, so was defenseman #47 Travis Hill. Hill comes back for his third season with the Swarm. Unlike Sullivan, Hill has yet to really breakthrough with the Swarm. Will this be the year that the ever-persistent Hill gets significant playing time to prove himself or not?

  • D - Kyle Ross - 2006 Practice Roster - Subjugated to the practice roster last year, defenseman #20 Kyle Ross comes back to earn an active roster spot with the Swarm after originally being selected in the 2004 Entry Draft. Known as the Rooster, Ross has been known to engage in fisticuffs on occasion during the summer. The key for Ross is that while playing for New Westminster, he often played both ways during games and proved very effective. That versatility may get him in his first NLL action this year.

  • F - Chad Culp - 15 GP 20g 35a 69 LB 1 GWG - (2005-06 Swarm) - Returning for a third season with the Swarm, is our sniper on the left side, #19 Chad Culp. Culp has the demeanor of Dennis the Menace off the floor, but on the floor, the Swarm will be count on him again to be the number #1 left-handed scoring option. Culp will be expected to score at least seventy points this year as he has steadily increased his production in each of his seasons with the Swarm.

  • F - Rory McDade - 5 GP 1g 4a 5 LB - (2006 Swarm) - It took half the season last year for left-handed forward #8 Rory McDade to break into the game day line-up in his first NLL season. This year as McDade returns for his second season, he hopes to be playing in game one. When he did get on the floor last year, the coaches could not drag him of it. The chiseled McDade gave the Swarm much needed muscle near the crease after #11 Kelly Hall went down to injury.

  • F - Dean Hill - 2 GP 6g 1a 5 LB - (2006 Swarm) - The Swarm drafted five players in the 2005 NLL Entry Draft, only left-handed forward #73 Dean Hill is still with the team. For the first fourteen games of the year, Hill watched and learned. Then on April 9th, 2006 against the San Jose Stealth, the crowd at The Hive was asking, “Who’s the big guy scoring four goals on Anthony Cosmo and where has he been all year?”. Hill has the size at 6’ 3” 225, but he will need to increase his stamina according to former Swarm Director of Scouting, Paul Stewart, who mentioned that Hill was on fire in the 1st Half of both games he played but faded in the 2nd half.

  • G - Nick Patterson - 11 GP 6-2 10.40 GAA .790 Save % - He is only 23 but goaltender #93 Nick Patterson has already gotten the attention of lacrosse fans throughout the league notwithstanding the obvious omission from last year’s All-Star game. A Second-Team NLL All-Pro last year, Patterson returns for his third season with the Swarm. The flamboyant young netminder has established himself as the best young goaltender in the league and if he remains healthy, he should be holding court in front of the net for years to come.

2006 NLL Entry Draft Picks Signed

  • D - Dave Ellis - Round 5 Overall 63 - Yesterday, Hughie Johnson signed with the Swarm. Today his fellow teammate with the Six Nations Arrows and sixth round draft choice this year, defenseman Dave Ellis signs with the local lacrosse team. He also has the distinction of being the only draftee this year for the Swarm to be interviewed on the NLL’s draft broadcast. He wore #8 with the Arrows; however, he will have to choose another number. My guess is #88.