WOW
You had to think something was up when the NLL trade deadline came and went Tuesday afternoon, with nary a peep out of the Roughnecks’ office….and nobody answering their cel phones. Indeed, something big was in the works, I just had to wait until just before 7 o’clock for the call from GM Kurt Silcott.
“We needed a shakeup,” sez he, “And this is certainly a shakeup.” Indeed.
What else can you say about a deal that sends all-time leading scorer Lewis Ratcliff to Toronto along with a conditional pick for assist king Josh Sanderson and a first rounder? While losing a superstar like Ratcliff is hard to swallow, the fact is this team was going nowhere fast and needed to be rocked at at its core. As I said after Saturday’s loss in San Jose the goaltending is solid, the defense rounding into form, the faceoff game brilliant, and the offense….well…
The lack of scoring in general and timely scoring in particular has been the most perplexing of problems with this club this year. How can a team sporting a gunner like Ratcliff, legends like Toth and Kelusky, and up and comers like Ranger and Shattler not be geting it done up front? I asked Silcott that same question.
“Lewis is a pure goal scorer,” said Silcott. “Maybe there was a tendency to rely a little too much on him. Sanderson is a different kind of player, a tremendous feeder who moves the ball around. We need all 7 guys on offense producing.”
I have to agree. All too often this year, the offense seemed content to sit back at the perimeter and fire the ball around, looking for Ratcliff to get it done with one big shot. When that happened, nothing happened. The Riggers have had their best success when players are willing to crash the net and create dirty chances, or when transition players like Andrew McBride and Chris Sellers are turned loose to create fast breaks.
There’s an implicit message in this for players like Scott Ranger and Jeff Shattler. This is now their team. They are the go to guys, and the guy going to them will be one of the best set up guys in the NLL.
Make no mistake. This is a huge gamble for Silcott, the kind of move that can either define you as a brilliant team builder, or will hang around your neck like a boat anchor at your next job interview. While I’m sorry to see a player the calibre of Ratcliff go, the fact is something had to happen and tinkering around the edges wasn’t going to get it done. At 4-8, the season is going nowhere fast. The playoffs are achievable, but all doing nothing or making a minor move would have accomplished is another guaranteed one-and-done.
The season just got fun again. Lewis, good luck, and thanks for all the great memories.
The Numbers: (Regular Season)
Sanderson:
2008
23 goals 27 assists 61 loose balls
Career
114 goals 221 assists 343 loose balls
Ratcliff:
2008
29 goals 35 assists 65 loose balls
Career
181 goals 216 assists 367 loose balls